


Lady Dragon Rider

by ZeeKitty



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Female Hiccup - Freeform, Gender or Sex Swap, Male Astrid, Nothing really changes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-11 15:55:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 47,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15318972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeeKitty/pseuds/ZeeKitty
Summary: Alternate Universe where Hiccup is a girl, Astrid is a boy, but gender doesn't change the story. It just gets interesting in a new way.





	1. Chapter 1

_“This is Berk, its twelve days north of hopeless, and a few degrees south of freezing to death. It’s located solidly on the meridian of misery. My village is, in a word, sturdy. It’s been here for seven generations, but every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunset. The only problems are the pests. You see most places have mice, or mosquitos, we have…”_

            “Dragons,” Hiccup slammed the door to her house shut right as a blast of fire hit it. She smiled in excitement and opened it back up. She darted out to see the extent of the battle raging on around her. Dragons were everywhere; stealing the livestock, and wreaking havoc on the houses. And the vikings around her were fighting them. It was dangerous but it was also just the usual start to the day. She dodged a man who fell out of the sky; he got up with a surly look and took off.    

_“Most people would leave, but we’re Vikings, we have… stubbornness issues. My name’s Hiccup, great name, I know. But it’s not the worst. Parents believe a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls, like our charming demeanor wouldn’t do that.”_

            Hiccup ducked under two viking’s who were hauling a log, and got bumped into by a group rushing past her. A fire blast from a dragon sent a shockwave over the ground. Hiccup fell and a viking appeared above her letting loose a battle cry, before the fierce look on his face turned into one of thrilled joy. “Mornin’,” He greeted before he jumped up, his beard still lit with fire as he returned to the fray. Hiccup jumped up and looked after him before she kept going herself. She ran down further into the village, then down onto the wooden ramparts where her people were everywhere. She had to keep moving lest someone stop her.

            “What are you doin’ here?” One Viking demanded as he ran past.

            “Get back inside!” Another ordered.

            “What are you doing out?”

            “Get back inside!” They all yelled after her but were far too consumed by the dragons to stop her.

            Hiccup rolled her eyes, the only moment they noticed her was when she was outside during a raid. She continued on heading towards the road before her. However a dragon lit it on fire as it surged past in the air, “Hiccup!” Just then Hiccup was yanked up by the back of her vest. She closed her eyes as she winced, busted.

            “What is she doin’ out- I-get,-” The burly man holding her sputtered, he turned her to face him, “What are you doing out? Get inside!”

He set her down after a swift shake and she made her escape. He walked a few feet away and spotted a dragon flying away with a sheep in its talons. He picked up a crate and hurled it through the air where it smashed into the dragon. The impact sent the dragon’s prey to the ground where it would be safe.  The Viking who captured her wore a green tunic that fell past his knees; his leggings were baggy and striped red and gray. His boots were made of worn leather. Bracers made of leather adjourned with metal spikes covered his arms. He wore a thick and wide belt; a sheet of scale mail hung from it. A long mantle of fur hung from his shoulder armor plates. He wore a helmet with horns that stretched up from his head and he sported a red beard that was braided and long.

_“That’s Stoick the Vast, Chief of the tribe. They say that when he was a baby, he popped a dragon’s head clean off of its shoulders. Do I believe it? Yes, I do.”_

            “What have we got?” Stoick asked the viking next to him.

            “Gronckles, Nadders, Zipplebacks, and Hoark saw a Monstrous Nightmare.” The Viking responded. A fire blast hit the ground next to them and the Viking ducked under the safety of his shield. Stoick didn’t budge and inch.

            “Any Night Furies?” Stoick asked brushing a flaming ember off his shoulder armor.

            “None so far,” The viking answered.

            “Good.”

            The Vikings were raising the massive pyres into the air as Hiccup ran past them, and made it into the safety of the forge. She let out a breath of relief, she made it alright. No problem. Still alive.

 “Oh, nice of you to join the party,” Gobber looked up and wiped his forehead with his arm, the hand itself was a prosthetic hammer, which he was using to straighten a bent sword back into shape. Gobber was a blond viking. He didn’t have a beard but he did have a mustache as long as one. It was braided and adjourned with metal rings and cuffs. Under a bolero vest of black fur he wore a tan tunic tucked into red and tan striped pants. His left arm and right leg were capped with prosthetics. “I thought you’d been carried off.”

            Hiccup grinned at him as she shed her fur vest and picked up her leather apron. “What? Who me?” Hiccup laughed, “Nah, come one, I’m way too muscular for their taste. They wouldn’t know what to do with all this.” She said picking up a hammer and setting it on the hooks attached to the forge wall. When she was here she didn’t feel so awkward. Sure Gobber called her out on everything, but here her skills as his apprentice shined.

            Gobber smirked where he was prying the hammer off of his prosthetic to attach another part to it when he replied, “Well, they need toothpicks don’t they?”

            Hiccup shook her head and opened the wooden shutters on the forges counter. Just as she did stacks of weapons were deposited by a small group of Vikings. She grabbed the stack she could to start work on it. It was really the only time anyone wanted her attention. She set them on the embers and used both arms on her tiptoes to pull the bellows and heat the forge.  

_“The meat head with attitude and interchangeable hands is Gobber. I’ve been his apprentice ever since I was little. Well, littler.”_

Across the village Stoick stood before a few of the vikings not engaged in battle.  “We move to the lower defenses, we’ll go to attack with the catapults.” He ordered and ran with the small grouping down the ramparts. Avoiding the fire of the dragons, only the houses weren’t so lucky. They were catching left and right.

_“See old village, lots and lots of new houses.”_

            A viking outside the forge yelled a warning of fire and a group of younger vikings Hiccup’s age ran past with a large barrel on wheels. She looked up from her work to see them as they got buckets to douse the fire with.

_“Oh and that’s Fishlegs,”_

            Fishlegs Ingerman was a burly viking; he would be huge when he got older. He wore a long furred tunic, and his helmet sat atop blond hair that hung to his chin. He looked rather sweet when he wasn’t sporting his viking snarl. She knew for a fact he absorbed knowledge like others absorbed fighting techniques. If it weren’t for his massive size he’d be as abnormal as she was.   

_“Snotlout,”_

            Snotlout Jorgenson was Hiccup’s cousin, and a real pain in her side. He had a helmet sporting black ram’s horns atop his black hair. He had an upturned nose, and wore a permanent look of arrogance, and stupidity. He wore a tan tunic under his black furred vest, and dark brown trousers that tucked into his furred boots at his ankles. Snotlout’s favorite past time was making Hiccup’s life miserable. He was usually pretty successful.  

_“The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut,”_

            Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston were fraternal twins. They were diabolical mischief seeker’s and adrenaline junkies. Tuffnut was older but his sister Ruffnut was slightly taller. Tuffnut had long blond hair under his helmet that had four thin horns on it. His gray tunic was wrapped with a brown sash under a dark gray furred vest. His dark gray leggings were tucked into his boots. Ruffnut had lighter hair, almost white. It was braided and metal cuffs hung in the knotted braids that fell down her face past her chest and to her stomach. She wore a leather vest that matched the skirt underneath her blue tunic and leather belt. Her leggings and boots were darker. The twins also wore a matching set of dragon teeth around their necks. They liked to beat each other up almost as much as they liked to cause and watch mayhem.

_“And… Asher,”_

            Asher Hofferson put out a small flame and turned around just as a fire ball exploded behind him. He walked away as if nothing had happened. He was much more toned than the other boys Hiccups age. He wore a tunic of blue, green, and grey linen wraps. On his shoulders hung metal shoulder pads with skulls attached to it. Matching skulls hung at his hips where a battle skirt hung behind his legs, the leather strips were covered in spikes and were dyed red. Long blue trousers covered his legs down to black furred boots. He was gorgeous, and perfect.   He had long golden blond hair that was braided down his back, but some bangs on the left side of his face hung in his eyes. He was everything a viking should be. He was so dreamy.  

_“Oh, their job is so much cooler.”_

            Hiccup leaned out the open counter space to watch as the vikings her age moved off to fight the fires elsewhere. Just then she was picked up by the back of her apron by Gobber. “Ah, come on let me out please.” Hiccup pleaded as Gobber carried her over the floor to be set down away from the window counter. “I need to make my mark.”

            “Oh, you’ll make plenty of marks” Gobber set her down and poked her in the shoulder to punctuate his words, no doubt in his mind of her ability to make a mark, “In all the wrong places.”

            “Please, just two minutes, I’ll kill a dragon. My life will get infinitely better. I might even get a date.” Hiccup argued her point. She just wanted to get out there, be a viking. She didn’t want to keep being this screw up everyone thought she was.  

            “You can't lift a hammer, you can't swing an axe,” Gobber tapped his fingers on the metal clamps now attached to his stump. He lifted a bola and held it up, “You can’t even throw one of these.”

Suddenly a Viking reached through the window and snatched the bola. He twirled it in the air and flung it at a flying dragon. The Gronckle it hit spun in the air before crashing to the ground.

“Okay fine, but this, will throw it for me.” Hiccup admitted and walked over to her newest invention. She knew she couldn’t throw; she couldn’t use a sword or an axe either. She wasn’t savvy with weaponry or the method of using them. But figuring out ways around her shortcomings was easy.  

            She set her hand on the wooden device she had finished creating just a day before. It was a ballista, and would throw a bola for her. She patted it and it sprung up, flinging a bola right at Gobber. He calmly stepped aside and it smacked a viking in the face as he appeared at the window. He went down instantly. Hiccup winced and Gobber turned to her flabbergasted, “See now this, right here, is what I’m talking about.”

            “But, it’s- a mild calibration issue-,” Hiccup started to explain herself, and her new invention.  

            “No, Hiccup, if you ever want to get out there and fight dragons. You need to stop all this.” He waved his hand and metal clamps around the general area of space she was occupying.

            “But you just pointed to all of me.” She argued exasperated flailing her arms in annoyance.

            “Yes, that’s it, stop being all of you.” Gobber grinned then as if he had the answer to life itself. She gritted her teeth at how flippantly he said it.  

            “Oh,” She said, as if she were getting his point.

            “Oh yes,” He mirrored, she was sure he was mocking her. She wasn’t too sure when it came to Gobber. Either he was trying to anger her or make her feel better in his own way. Either way it dissipated her anger and she let it go.

            “You sir are playing a dangerous game. Keeping all this… raw… vikingness contained.” She coiled her fists in front of her and pointed flinging one hand up in the air, “There will be consequences!”

            “I’ll take my chances.” He rolled his eyes and turned away picking up a sword, he tossed it into her arms. She sagged under its weight a little. Man her bluster didn’t even work, “Sword… sharpened… now.”

            In defeat she turned and set it on the whetstone, it spun and grinded against the sword as she held it in position to sharpen. She was determined to make this work; if she couldn’t get out she could at least show her skill in keeping the villagers weaponry in shape.

_“One day I’ll get out there. Because killing a dragon is everything around here. A Nadderhead is sure to get me at least noticed. Gronckle’s are tough; taking down one of those would definitely get me a boyfriend. A Zippleback; exotic, two heads, twice the status.”_

_*_

            At the catapult Stoick walked up the wooden planks, a viking ran up to him and pointed to the field in their sights, “They found the sheep!”

            “Concentrate fire over the lower bank.” Stoick ordered. He grabbed the wooden pole sticking out of the base of the catapult and pushed it to turn the weapon to aim it. They hurled a rock from the catapult and it hit a Nadder as it flew over the sheep in the penned field.  A shadow flew over the catapult and Stoick turned.

_“And then there’s the Monstrous Nightmare, only the best Vikings go after those. They have this nasty habit of setting themselves on fire.”_

            Stoick looked over the edge of the catapult. The wooden walk way was edged in fire, a Nightmare burst through snarling through the film of flames that coated it.

“Reload, I’ll take care of this.” Stoick ordered as he lifted an iron war hammer from his belt. He started smashing the Nightmares jaw with the hammer. It snapped at him before a howling whine cut through the air. The Nightmare took the chance to escape.

_“But the ultimate prize is the dragon no one’s ever seen. We call it the-“_

            “Night Fury!”

            “Get down!”

            The howling whine turned into a high pitched shriek of wind before a blue and purple blast of fire hit the catapult and destroyed the entire thing. The stone pillar that held it began to crumble.

“Jump!” Stoick called to his men that were on the catapult with him. Hiccup saw the attack from the shop window and looked out with wide eyes.

_“This thing never steals food, never shows itself, and-“_

The howling screech of wind whistled again and a second blast of the eerie lightning fire hit the burning catapult once more, completely destroying it.

_“-never misses. No one has ever killed a Night Fury. That’s why I’m going to be the first.”_

_*_

            Gobber grunted as he removed the metal clamps from his stump. Hiccup walked over to him as he looked at her. “Man the fort Hiccup. They need me out there.” He grinned with anticipation as he screwed an axe onto his stump. He made it to the door before he froze and whirled around. “Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean,” He said before he yelled a battle cry and ran out into the fray.

            Hiccup grinned and ran further into the forge. She shed the apron and yanked on her vest. She picked up the handles of the ballista and lifted it onto its wheel. She then ran forward out of the forge, ready to finally get her chance. “Hiccup, where are you going?” A viking demanded as she wheeled right through a grouping of them. No one was stopping her now. This was her chance!

            “Come back!” Another yelled.

            “Yeah, yeah, I know,” She called as she kept running. “I’ll be right back.”

*

            Stoick stood above the field of sheep as three Nadder’s closed in on the tiny balls of fluff. He flung a net over them and the vikings closed in, “Let’s get them!”  

            A Nadder flung its head up letting loose a torrent of fire. Stoick jumped onto it, “Mind your-self!” He called as he wrestled it to the ground, “The devils still have some juice in them!”

*

            Hiccup made it out to an empty cliff side where she yanked on a lever and the top of the ballista’s case burst open. It fastened itself to the ground, and the ballista lifted itself out of the casing. The bows stretched out ready and loaded. Hiccup pulled the handles down aligning the sight up with her eyes. Hiccup looked around hearing a slight roar here and there in the night sky. “Come on; give me somethin’ to shoot at. Give me somethin’ to shoot at.” She muttered scanning the sky.

            She heard a low rumbling roar and looked up into the stars, she heard it again and sank down into her sight. There in the stars a black shape that blended was moving. It swooped through the darkness. She heard another roar that turned into that shrill wind screaming shriek. Through the sight a blast of blue and purple took out another catapult and Hiccup saw it. Right as it swooped back up into the higher part of the sky she closed her eyes lifted her aim and shot the ballista. The force flung Hiccup back and as she scrambled to her feet she heard a cry from above. She looked up seeing a bundle of dragon speeding towards the ground off near the far cliffs across the harbor.

***

_Above Berk:_

He was flying through the sky, it was dark enough he could fly right over the idiot humans heads and they would be none the wiser. But he stayed above, watching the others and their progress in gathering food. He never really joined in unless he felt they needed help. Stealing was beneath him. But protecting the dragons who had to do so to appease the Queen was acceptable for him. He circled lower and pelted a catapult with a blast of fire. It exploded on contact and he swooped higher.

            He rolled his shoulders as he lifted into a gentle hovering glide. He then dove listening to the wind run though his wings. He shot it again and flew back up circling the village. He’d done some damage in the battle. It was time to head elsewhere. He got to a more deserted area and saw another catapult. He might as well rid himself of that one too. He made his bank in the air and shot it as well. But right as he was flying back up to settle into a leisurely flight something wrapped around his legs and one of his wings. He couldn’t break free of it, it threw him off and he plummeted towards the ground. He wouldn’t die here in the village. No Viking would mount his head on a pike. No, he was the mighty Night Fury they screamed of when he roared.

            He dropped one wing and dove out across the village into the forests. Branches tore at him and he smashed into a tree before he plummeted into the dirt. He rolled over a rock and landed. His head spun, he still couldn’t move, and he was in pain. He let out a strangled roar to the other dragons. Hoping they would hear him. Finally the weakness and pain overcame him. He fell unconscious.

***

_Cliffside:_

            “Oh, I hit it. Yes, I hit it! Did anybody see that?” Hiccup jumped around in joy. She did it, Holy Odin she did it! She danced in elation but the sound of wood cracking and a rumble of a growl had her turning. Seeing a Monstrous Nightmare towering above her, its foot settled on the crushed remains of the invention that had brought down the Night Fury. Fear settled in her stomach, “Except for you.”

*

            A roar mixed with a scream had Stoick looking up from where they had trapped the Nadders. There on the cliff side leading into the village was Hiccup, running from a Monstrous Nightmare. He let out a frustrated sigh and stood up. He started off toward the village and pointed at the netting where the Vikings were keeping the Nadders contained. “Do not let them escape!”

            Hiccup scrambled to escape the Nightmare as it blasted fire at her. She managed to get behind a wooden pillar affixed with metal. Just then a heated torrent of fire blasted her cover. The wood began to burn and the metal heated to molten levels. She curled in on herself looking to one side to check for the Nightmare’s location. Only it was on the opposite side. There was nowhere to escape, she was done for.

 Stoick came out of nowhere and delivered a kick to the Nightmare, knocking it away from her. Both viking and dragon rolled to the ground and Stoick faced off with the massive beast. It opened its jaws to shoot fire at him, but only a stream of it sprayed out in an arc to the ground. Stoick clenched his fists and started forward. “You’re all out.” He growled to the dragon.       

            He delivered quick, hard, punches before kicking the monster under its chin. It flew off immediately after that. Stoick straightened out his arms and huffed as he turned around.

_“Oh and there’s one more thing you need to know…”_

            The pillar that Hiccup hid behind had taken enough damage to weaken the base. It crumbled under its own weight and fell. The massive cage that held the fire that lit the village and staved off dragons in the air detached. The flaming pyre rolled down the incline of the village’s ramparts and crashed into various objects, houses, and the like. Each impact had Hiccup flinching. Stoick watched it before his hard eyes landed on her, “Sorry…” She muttered looking away, “Dad.”  

            The dragons that had raided the village broke free and flew into the sky hauling away sheep, fish, and nets that had held them were now filled with the livestock. If anger could radiate off of Hiccup’s father she would have melted on the spot. “Okay, but I hit a Night Fury.” She blurted, that had happened.  

            Stoick grabbed her by the scruff of her vest and started to haul her from the crowd of people who were gathering. “It’s not like the last few times dad. I mean I really, actually, hit it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down just off Raven Point. Let’s get a search party out there before it-,”

            “Stop!” Stoick shouted, Hiccup flinched back and looked up at him. “Just- stop. Every time you step outside disaster falls. Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter is almost here and I have an _entire_ village to feed”

            “Yeah… between you and me the village could do with a little less feeding, don’t you think?” She countered and saw a few villagers around them touched their stomachs self-consciously.

            “This isn’t a joke Hiccup!” Stoick scolded before his shoulders sagged, “Why can't you follow the simplest orders?”  

            “I-I-I can't stop myself,” Hiccup tried to recover this, she wanted him to understand. She usually fell back on sarcasm and humor, but she needed him to finally listen to her. She had taken down a dragon by herself tonight. “I see a dragon and I have to just kill it, you know? It’s who I am dad.”

            “Oh,” Stoick rubbed his head as if extremely tired, “You are many things Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them. Get back to the house. Make sure she gets there.”

            Gobber came forward and bopped her on the back of the head. She started forward and her shoulders clenched when she heard her father’s parting words.  “I have her mess to clean up.”

            She looked down as she walked past the others her age. The twins were laughing, “Quite the performance.” Tuffnut jeered with a wicked smirk.

            “I’ve never seen anybody mess up that badly, that actually helped.” Snotlout threw at her with a sick sort of delight on his face. Fishlegs laughed along with them to not be left out but Asher just sat behind them with his axe watching her walk.

            “Thank you, thank you, I was trying.” Hiccup said as she passed. Gobber grabbed Snotlout by his helmet and shoved past him roughly. They walked forward up through the dirt roads until they broke from the village and walked the short way up to her house. She turned as she walked to look at Gobber. He was like her second father, surely he would listen. “I really did hit one.”

            “Sure you did.” Gobber agreed noncommittally.

            “He never listens.”

“Well, it runs in the family.”

            “And when he does it’s with this disappointed scowl, like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich.” Hiccup walked up the steps to her door and turned doing a frustrated impression of her father, “Excuse me bar maid, I’m afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered and extra-large boy with beefy arms; extra guts and glory on the side. This here, this is a talking fish bone.” She sagged under the truth of the statement.

            “Now you're thinking about this all wrong, it’s not so much what you look like girl or not, it’s what’s inside he can't stand.” Gobber offered to soothe the upset slump of her shoulders. She bristled then and looked at him, why was she talking to Gobber about this again? Oh wait he’s a viking, she should have assumed this would be the outcome of a heart to heart.

            “Thank you… for summing that up,” And she was done with this conversation.

            “Look the point is, stop trying so hard to be something you’re not.” Gobber offered, and that only upset her more. Tears pricked her eyes as she looked at him.

            “I just want to be one of you guys.” She said opening the door and walking inside. She pushed the door shut and a single tear fell down her cheek. Determined she headed to where the back door was and ran off into the woods. If they wouldn’t help her find the Night Fury, she would find it herself. Then they wouldn’t overlook her. She wouldn’t be on the outside looking in anymore. She would prove to her tribe and to her father she was worthy.


	2. Chapter 2

_Great Hall:_

            Gobber filtered into the Great Hall where the rest of the village had gathered. He moved off to a clear space and grabbed a mug of mead as he went. He sat to listen in on what Stoick had to say. As he listened he was pained by the look in Hiccups eyes as he left her. He needed to talk this over with Stoick. For the moment he looked up to listen in. The hall was adjourned with tapestries of their history, past battles, and valiant fights against the dragons that raided their homes. Above the massive table, where Stoick stood surrounded by their fellow vikings, was a sword pierced through a golden serpent dragon.

            “Either we finish them, or they’ll finish us. It’s the only way we’ll be rid of them.” Stoick bent over the table edge and patted the surface where the map of their land centered in the archipelago and the ocean rested. “If we find the nest and destroy it the dragons will leave. They’ll find another home.” He picked up a dagger and stabbed it into the map right where the mists hid the nest from them. “One more search, before the ice sets in.”

            “Those ships never come back.” A man said from across the Hall. Stoick motioned with his hand as he offered the simplest answer to that he could.

            “We’re Vikings it’s an occupational hazard,” He looked around, “Now, who’s with me?”

            Around the crowd voices started to debate with one another. How could he expect less of them, this was a life or death trip. They would be risking much going with him. But he needed the man power. One last trip and they could save the whole village from starvation this winter. At the look of indecision he decided to offer a bit of a teasing point to sway the answer. “Alright, those who stay will look after Hiccup.”

            Stoick was startled to see almost all of the hands fly up; Spitelout behind him, her very uncle didn’t even want to stay. “I’m with you Stoick.” He said hastily. But Stoick was pleased to see the determination and number. At least he had that, even if it was at the expense of his daughter. But guilt still sank its claws in him.

            “Yeah, that’s more like it.” He nodded as they all filtered out to get ready for the voyage. He spotted Gobber drinking some mead by one of the pillars and made his way over to his best friend.

            “Right, I’ll pack my undies.” Gobber said wiping his jaw as he stood.

            “No, I need you to stay and train some new recruits.” Stoick said, and Gobber looked at him. That patented look that said _why do you hate me_?

            “Oh, perfect. Yeah and while I’m busy, Hiccup can cover the stall. Molten steel, razor sharp blades, lots of time to herself. What could possibly go wrong?” He said sarcastically lifting his mug to drain some more drink. The Great Hall door shut and Stoick seemed to deflate as he sat down.

            “Oh, what am I going to do with her Gobber?” Stoick asked in defeat.

            “Put her in training, with the others.” Gobber said simply.

            “No, I’m serious,”

            “So am I.”

            “She’d be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage,” Stoick said pitifully.

            “Oh, you don’t know that.” Gobber flicked his hand at Stoick’s exaggeration.    

            “I do know that.”

            “No you don’t.”

            “No, actually I do kno-,” Stoick shrugged.

            “No you don’t.” Gobber interrupted him and pointed his prosthetic at him.

            “Listen, you know what she’s like. From the time she could crawl she’s been, different.” Stoick sighed as he stood and walked over towards the pillar nearest Gobber. “She doesn’t listen; she has the attention span of a sparrow. I take her fishing and she goes hunting for- for trolls.”  

            “Trolls exist!” Gobber threw in, “They steal your socks. But only the left ones, what’s with that?”

            “When I was a boy, my father told me to bang my head against a rock. And I did it, I thought it was crazy but I didn’t question him. And do you know what happened?”

            “You got a headache.” Gobber rolled his eyes. He fished his false tooth out of his mug and put it back in his mouth, he tapped it a few times with the edge of the mug to settle it in place.

            “That rock split in two.” Stoick paced back over to the table and continued, “It taught me what a viking can do. We could-we could crush mountains, level forests, tame seas! Even as a boy I knew what I was, what I had to become. Hiccup is not like that.”    

            He sat down and slumped in hopelessness. His daughter was not like him, not even like her mother. She wasn’t even like any of the young aspiring shield maidens of the village. He was at a loss for what to do; she would be killed if she tried to fight dragons. “You can't stop her Stoick,” Gobber started, he looked over seriously. “You can only prepare her. I know it seems hopeless, but the truth is you won’t always be around to protect her. She’s going to get out there again. She’s probably out there now.” 

            Gobber was right, Stoick admitted to himself. She was going to get out at some point. She needed to learn to protect herself. He just worried she wouldn’t be able to do that. But it was time, he needed to let go just a little. Her mother would want her to know how to defend herself. It was the viking way.

***

_Raven Point:_

            Hiccup walked through the woods looking down at her journal where she’d drawn a crude map of Berk. She had most of the area surrounding Raven Point marked off. She pointed at the map and looked around frustrated and sure this might be the spot this time. She closed her eyes hoping she had found it. She opened them and saw only untouched forest. Angered by the inability to find it she marked off another spot before she just scribbled all over the map and the dozens of other markings.

            “Oh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife or mug. Not me, I managed to lose and entire dragon!” She ranted as she walked. Why was she such a failure?! She couldn’t even do this right! Hiccup the Useless, what an apt name the villagers had gifted her with. She neared a low hanging branch and smacked it out of her way in anger. Only it swung back and smacked her right cheek and eye. She grabbed her face as it stung, “Ow!”

            She looked at the tree attached to the offending branch and realized it had been split. The broken part of it was lying down, but it was fresh. She followed the path of destruction to a trail of upturned dirt. Like something had crashed through it. Hiccup cautiously stepped into it walking towards the dip in the forest floor. Just as she looked over the rise she saw black wings, and gasped before ducking down out of sight. She’d found it!

            It was sprawled out on the ground, tangled up in the bola her ballista threw. She scrambled to look for her dagger. With it in her hands she felt a little more confident. She slid down the incline and pressed her back to the boulder between her and the Night Fury. She edged around and looked at it, surprised up close to see her device had actually worked. The dragon was dead. “Oh wow, I-I did it. Oh I did it. This fixes everything.” She walked closer and was filled with excited joy. “Yes! I have brought down this mighty beast!”

            As she placed her foot on the dragon’s leg it shook her off with a groan. She stumbled back into the boulder before brandishing her knife at the dragon. Fear edged through her as she re-approached the black beast. She looked at it checking for signs of it breaking free. As she looked over the wing suspended by the bola, she saw its eyes were open. The green was startling, the black slit of its pupil watching her intently. She turned away from it holding her knife tight, she was determined. She needed to kill this dragon. She let out a breath and tried to gather herself. “I’m going to kill you dragon. I’m gonna- I’m gonna cut out your heart, and take it to my father. I’m a Viking.” She spoke to the dragon, but the last bit was whispered to herself. She looked at it to prove her point. “I am a Viking!”

            It continued to watch her. She lifted her hands up high, but looked into its eyes again. It keened a little as it watched her, then its eyes widened just slightly. She lifted her arms higher and shook her head. She closed her eyes ready to deliver the killing blow. But she couldn’t do it. Her hands fell on top of her head and she looked down, its eyes were closed, as if ready to die. She looked at the knife in her hand and the bola wrapped around the poor creature.

“I did this,” She muttered to herself and backed away from the dragon. Misery filled her then, this was all for nothing. She started to leave but the guilt hit her square in the chest. She looked back and returned. She started to cut apart the bola. Just as she cut the last rope the Night Fury sprung up and forced her back to the ground. One of its paws was on her chest, holding her down. She panted in fear as she looked into its eye’s. They stared at one another for a moment and its wings spread out as it growled at her. It lifted its paw from her chest and smashed both of them into the ground on either side of her body. It let out a roar right into her face before it turned and sprung off the ground into the air, it made it through some of the trees before it hit a cliff and flew off. Its roars filled the air as she gasped in air to her frightened body. She got to her feet and watched it fly further away. She turned to leave but her knee’s failed her and she collapsed to the ground face down. That was way too much to handle.

***

            “Oh wow, I-I did it. Oh I did it. This fixes everything. Yes! I have brought down this mighty beast!” He came to awareness when he felt something press on his trapped leg. He shook it off and inhaled the air. He smelled human, and heard the heartbeat of one. “I’m going to kill you dragon. I’m gonna- I’m gonna cut out your heart, and take it to my father. I’m a Viking. I am a Viking!”

            He opened his eyes to get a look at the monster who hunted his dragonkin. He saw her there, she was definitely female. But she didn’t resemble any of the female humans who hunted his kind. No, she was slender, as if she didn’t eat much. Short brown hair kissed by the sun crowned her head. Her green tunic covered her dark green legs. And instead of armor she wore a brown furred vest. What kind of viking was she?

            She lifted her hands up high brandishing a bit of metal he attributed to a viking weapon. He understood then. She was here to kill him, trapped as he was, unable to stop her. It would seem his time had come, and that was fair. It was the law of nature for the weak to be eaten by the strong. Right now he was weak, and frankly he was tired of this. Tired of the endless hunting for food, the fear of returning home, being the last of his kind. This slight little human girl would end him. He was ready. He’d been afraid of the end, but he was ready to face it now.  

            He waited, head down ready to die. But the blow never came, perhaps she just needed to gather herself, she was human after all. He could only assume her minor insanity was due to her origin as a human. Dragons didn’t hesitate.  

“I did this,” She spoke. What? She was the one who had caught him in this trap. So be it, she had earned her right to kill him. She had been the better predator it seemed. She would end it.

Only the pain still didn’t come, instead he felt his wing snap free of the bindings. His eyes flew back open. He looked to see her furiously cutting him free. What was she doing? Why didn’t she kill him? Any dragon who’d come across him this weak would have. Any other viking would have. Why not her?  Not enough time to wonder about her state of mind. He sprung up as the last rope was cut; he tackled her and forced the tiny thing to the ground.

She blinked up at him in fear, letting out short little whines of panic. He searched her gaze, seeing she was accepting her fate just as he had. She was afraid but she was ready to face any punishment he saw fit. She’d cut him free, but she had still trapped him. He lifted up slightly onto his hind legs and smashed his paws into the ground on either side of her and roared as loud and as shrill as he could. He would spare her, but he needed to ensure she would never do so again. Either it was to protect herself from other dragons; or to protect dragons from her he wasn’t sure. It didn’t matter, he was free. He made his escape.

Something was wrong as he shot into the air. He couldn’t get up high enough. He was off balance, and he smashed into a cliff and then a tree. He growled and roared his frustration as he continued to fly, trying to get as far away from this cursed island. He managed to make it into open air only he fell almost immediately. He righted himself with just enough time to make it to the ground. He was in a cove; he looked around seeing no other dragons, no humans, not much of anything really. He turned looking at his wings, they were perfect, his tail. His tail! Part of it was missing. His tail fin was gone on the left side! How could this be?! Did it happen in the fall? He roared in frustration. Now he was unable to fly. He ran forward trying to force himself up out of the cove. Only he couldn’t get over the rim, he ended up on the ground trapped.  He would surely die here; he’d been spared by a small viking girl and had sealed his own death here. He looked up determined. He couldn’t die here. His pride wouldn’t allow it. Giving up once was one thing. But now, now he had to live.

***

_Berk:_

            Hiccup made it home safely. She’d learned something as she had gotten her wits about her. She had been unable to kill the Night Fury. It had accepted death and she couldn’t do it. Were all dragons like that? Did they all know when they were to die, did they all look at the viking who killed them the same way the Night Fury did? The intelligence, the emotion, did they all experience things like that? She didn’t know the answer. All she knew was that she would stay in the house from now on while the dragons raided them. She couldn’t kill them that much she was sure of. Oh jeeze, how would she explain this to her father?

            She opened the door to find him sitting by the fire in the center of their home. He was poking at the embers, so she tried to make it past him. She wasn’t ready to face him yet, she wasn’t what he wanted and she didn’t know how to deal with that yet. She climbed the stairs on hands and feet to minimize noise. She got halfway up the stairs when he called to her, “Hiccup.”

            It seemed they were doing this now.

            “Dad, uh,” She sighed and stood up to move back down the stairs. She might as well do this now, before it ate her up anymore. “Ah, I have to talk to you dad.”

            “I need to speak with you too sweetheart.” He clapped his hands together as he stood before her.

            “Dad, I don’t want to fight dragons.” Hiccup blurted.

            “I think it’s time you learn to fight dragons.” Stoick blurted out at the same time. They both looked at each other in confusion.

“What?” They both said at the same time.

“Uh, you first,” Stoick offered.

            “No, you go first.” Hiccup moved off the steps.

            “Alright,” Stoick said and looked down before back up at her confidently, “You get your wish, dragon training. You start in the morning.”

            “Oh man, I should have gone first.” Hiccup scratched the back of her head. She needed to redirect this; this was the exact opposite of what she wanted. “Uh ‘cause, I was thinking. You know, we have a surplus of dragon fighting vikings but do we have enough bread making vikings, or small home repair vikings?”

            Stoick lifted a large axe and set it in her hands she grappled with it and fell back looking up at him, “You’ll need this.”

            “I don’t want to fight dragons.” She said in panic, he couldn’t! She couldn’t do it!

            “Come on, yes you do.” Stoick chuckled.

            “Rephrase, dad, I can't kill dragons.” Hiccup said louder, sometimes all he needed was a louder voice to cut through his thick head. She couldn’t kill dragons, she’d shame them both.

             “But you will kill dragons,” He looked at her as he walked over to the table.

             “No I’m really very extra sure that I won’t.”

             “It’s time Hiccup.” Stoick said sternly.

             “Can you not hear me?” Hiccup cradled the axe as she stood before him her heart racing and fear icing her blood.

             “This is serious, sweetheart.” He said in that tone that demanded no argument. He reached out and picked up the huge axe like it was nothing, “When you carry this axe you carry all of us with you.”

             He handed the axe back to her and she almost dropped it, but he righted it in her grip again, “Which means you walk like us. You talk like us,” He gripped her shoulders and stood her up straight. “You think like us. No more of this.” He gestured at her whole body.

             “You just gestured to all of me.” She said rolling her eyes as annoyance replaced the fear. Could no one like her for her? What was so wrong with her that she’d received this statement twice in one day?

             “Deal?” Stoick asked.

             “This conversation feels very one sided.” She said angrily.

             “Deal?” Stoick reiterated that stern tone sinking back into his voice. Hiccup sighed and looked up at him again. 

              “Deal,” She answered and sagged under the weight of the statement. Crap.

            Her father nodded and lifted his basket of supplies, he must be leaving. “Good. Train hard. I’ll be back.” He set his helmet on top of his head, “Probably.”

            “And I’ll be here,” Hiccup said as she watched her father head out of the house, it seemed that’s all he seemed to be doing lately, leaving, “Maybe.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

_Dragon Killing Arena:_

            “Welcome to dragon training!” Gobber said cheerfully as he thrust the massive steel gate up. It led into the arena where they trained to fight dragons. Hiccup trailed behind the rest of the teens her age and lugged her axe in with her. This was absolutely horrid. She was going to either make an even worse fool of herself or die. Hopefully she would just die and save her father the shame.

            Asher was in the front of their group, flanked on the left by Snotlout, followed by the twins then Fishlegs. Asher looked up as he walked and inhaled to strengthen himself. “No turning back,” He said, more to himself, but it was loud enough for the others to hear. He wouldn’t allow for any failure. Failure here meant death in the real raids.

            They walked further down into the arena, areas on the floor were so polished it showed reflections up at them. There were five large steel doors heavily locked. Each one contained their training dragons. Above the caged fence would keep the dragons in to fight them. “I hope I get some serious burns,” Tuffnut said as he followed behind Asher.

            “I’m hoping for some mauling,” Ruffnut said shrugging her shoulders, “Like on my shoulder or lower back.”

            “Yeah, it’s only fun if you get a scar out of it.” Asher said with a smirk.  

            “Yeah, no kidding right?” Hiccups voice filtered from the back and Asher turned to look at her with everyone else. “Pain, love it.” She said sarcastically.

            “Oh, great, who let her in?” Tuffnut asked in a huff.

            “Let’s get started,” Gobber called as he walked over, Hiccup was already enough of an outcast, she didn’t need to be ousted so fast already. “The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing their first dragon in front of the entire village.”

            “Hiccup already killed a Night Fury. So does that disqualify her or-?” Snotlout trailed off but his point was made, and the twins laughed. Hiccup sighed and rolled her eyes, as they all turned away Tuffnut started a conversation as they walked, “So can I be transferred to the class with the cool Vikings?”

            “Don’t worry, you’re small and weak. That’ll make you less of a target. They’ll see you as sicker and insane, and go after the more viking like teens instead.” Gobber walked her over with his arm over her shoulder before he settled her in line with the others. Wow, she wasn’t sure why that made her feel worse, Hiccup glared with sarcasm in her eyes. “Behind these doors are a few of the species you will learn how to fight; the Deadly Nadder.”

            “Speed 8, Armor 16,” Fishlegs muttered in excitement next to Hiccup.

            “The Hideous Zippleback,” Gobber pointed to another door.

            “Plus 11 stealth times two.” Fishlegs muttered again. Hiccup looked at him strangely; he really took dragon knowledge to a new level.

            “The Monstrous Nightmare.”

            “Firepower 15.”

            “The Terrible Terror.”

            “Attack 8, Venom 12.”

            “Would you stop that!” Gobber shouted at Fishlegs before he turned to the last door. He grabbed the lever that would unlock the door, “And the Gronckle.”

            “Jaw strength 8,” Fishlegs whispered to Hiccup.

            “Whoa whoa, wait!” Snotlout stepped forward anxiously, “Aren’t you gonna teach us first?”

            “I believe in learning on the job,” Gobber said with a sadistic grin. He pulled the lever down and the doors burst open once the wooden lock was lifted from the steel cuffs. The Gronckle burst out and flew into the air. Its head was massive, and its body was almost the same size as the head, its tail was made up of two large bulbous parts of spikes and club like toughness. As it hit the air they all scattered.

            “Today is all about survival,” Gobber instructed as they ran, “If you get blasted, you’re dead.”

            Hiccup made it away as the Gronckle hit the wall and fell on the ground before it got back up. “Quick! What’s the first thing you’re going to need?!” Gobber called.

            “A doctor,” Hiccup called eyes never leaving the dragon.

            “Plus 5 speed?” Fishlegs threw out hesitantly.

            “A shield!” Asher yelled as he bounced from one foot to the other at the ready. His axe balanced in his hand.

             “Shield, go!” Gobber instructed.

            Everyone ran for the shields Asher got his first, followed by Snotlout. Hiccup got hers up but was struggling to get it onto her arm. “Your most important piece of equipment is your shield. If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield; take the shield.” Gobber filled in quickly as he picked up Hiccup’s shield and righted it on her arm before pushing her into the fray.

            The twins grabbed the same shield at the same time. “Get your hands off my shield!” Tuffnut yelled.  

            “There’s like a million shields!” Ruffnut snapped back as they tugged the shield between each other.

            “Take that one; it has a flower on it. Girls like flowers.” Tuffnut replied.

            Ruffnut wrestled the shield away and bashed him on the head with it. “Oops, now this one has blood on it.” She laughed. Just as he got his hands back on it the Gronckle blasted it to pieces between them.

            “Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you’re out!” Gobber called.

            “What?” They asked disoriented.

            “Those shields are good for another thing!” Gobber threw out, “Noise, make lots of it to throw off a dragons aim!”

            Hiccup looked over at the others and awkwardly started banging her axe into her shield. The others did the same and the Gronckle shook its head disoriented. “All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?” Gobber asked.

            “Five?” Snotlout called up as he moved.

            “No six!” Fishlegs yelled holding up his shield in triumph.

            “Correct, six! That’s one for each of you!” Gobber laughed. The Gronckle shot the shield right off of Fishlegs’ arm. He then threw up his arms and screamed before running away, “Fishlegs out!”

            Hiccup huddled under a piece of wood when Gobber called out, “Hiccup, get in there!” She huffed and moved out at the ready when a blast of fire had her right back under. Life or death? Time to hide. 

            The Gronckle turned as Asher stopped moving around, that just happened to be right in front of Snotlout. “So I’m moving into my parent’s basement. You should come by some time to work out. You look like you work out.” He said to impress Asher. Annoyed he dodge rolled away from Snotlout as his shield got hit by the dragons blast.

            “Snotlout you’re done!” Gobber yelled.

            Asher stopped his roll right next to Hiccup. He looked at her as she stood there meekly holding her shield. “So I guess it’s just you and me?” She offered at him.

            “Nope just you,” he said as he spotted the Gronckle changing direction towards them. He ran the other way. The shot knocked Hiccup’s shield off and was directed into the wall.

            “One shot left!” Gobber called out. Hiccup tore after her shield as it rolled away. The Gronckle must have seen her without it and decided she was perfect prey because it was right on her, “Hiccup!” Gobber yelled as he saw the Gronckle run her into the wall. She was trapped nowhere to go and it readied to blast her. She watched in horror as it reared up and where she didn’t see the golden hue of fire in the Night Fury’s gullet she saw gathering in the Gronckle’s. Suddenly Gobber’s hook hand slipped into the Gronckle’s jaw and he directed the blast into the arena wall above Hiccup. She balled up protecting her head as embers rained down on her. Gobber dragged the dragon away. “And that’s six. Go back to bed you overgrown sausage!” He chided the dragon.

            Once it was safely inside its cage Hiccup sagged from her balled up position. “You’ll get another chance don’t you worry.” Gobber spoke to the growling dragon inside. “Remember a dragon will always, always,” He looked down at Hiccup to express his point to her, “Go for the kill.”

            She was lifted to her feet and she looked at the burn residue on the arena wall where she had been. The adrenaline was still pumping in her veins. Then Gobber’s words hit her, they always went for the kill?

***

_Raven Point:_

            “So why didn’t you?” Hiccup asked as she picked up a piece of her tattered bola. She’d returned to the place where she’d found the fallen Night Fury. An overwhelming sense of curiosity had her back here. Only a day after she’d set it free. She looked up at the direction it had flown off and decided to see what was in the same direction. She ended up surrounded by boulders that surrounded a cove and moved towards the opening that led down. She got to the point that over looked the whole cove. She wasn’t sure why she had come. Surely it was already long gone by now.

            The serene cove was fed by a waterfall, the small lake led out to the sandy beach at the base of the cove. Birds flew through the air and Hiccup sighed. “Well this was stupid.”

            What was she expecting? Dragons couldn’t talk and no way would it miss the chance to kill her if it saw her again. How was she ever going to know why it hadn’t done so before?

            As Hiccup turned to head back she spotted some small black scales on the ground next to her. She knelt and picked a one up; it was shiny, and thick. As she was examining it a massive shape ascended right next to her. She looked up seeing the Night Fury scrabbling at the rocks that made up the lip of the cove’s high walls. It fell a few feet before it just leapt off the wall and glided to the ground below. Excited to see the dragon again Hiccup jumped from her perch to another one a few feet below. It turned from where it landed and jumped onto a log before trying to fly around the cove. But it lost its pattern somehow and ended up back on the ground. It leapt up again and Hiccup remembered she was carrying her journal.

            Hiccup opened to a blank page and started to sketch the dragon, “Why don’t you just fly away?” She asked in a whisper as she watched it. The Night Fury was frustrated; she could see the agitation in its body language before it shot a fire blast of that blue color at the ground. It was then she noticed it was missing the left side of its tailfin. She erased the part of the tailfin she had drawn. It leapt one more time up in the air and plummeted as it tried to bank. It laid there for a moment before it saw a fish move in the water and struck in the water for it.

            She sat back in thought but her coal stick fell from her grasp and over the boulder cliff she was sitting on. She scrambled for the writing utensil but it was gone, and the Night Fury had noticed her. It looked up, but this time she could tell it was curious, and wary. She tilted her head and it tilted its own. How strange.

*

            It was a futile effort, trying to get out of the cove. But he wouldn’t give up, not again. The walls were just too high and he couldn’t get himself far enough up to get out. After exhausting himself he ended up next to the water again. And the fish just seemed to be taunting him. He was hungry, and without flight he just wasn’t fast enough to get the jump on them. But he tried anyway. He struck and tried to grab a fish with his teeth but was unable to catch any. He heard something clatter on the other side of the cove and looked up seeing the girl from before.

            She was there near the top rim of the cove, watching him. What a strange creature she was. She tilted her head as if pondering his existence, just like he was with her. Why return? He’d spared her life as she’d spared his, they were even. They stared at one another for moments until she finally stood up and went to climb back into the hole she came through. She turned back and waved at him before she was gone. He was confused, humans were strange.

***

_Berk:_

            It was night time when Hiccup managed to get back to the village. She made it through the rain and into the Great Hall. Seeing as her father was gone she would have to find food here at night. She wasn’t the best at cooking, and frankly it was late. “Alright where did Asher go wrong in the ring today?” Gobber’s voice filtered up from within the massive hall. Hiccup spotted the other dragon training recruits all at a table where Gobber was standing.

            “I mistimed my somersault dive. It was sloppy and threw off my reverse tumble.” Asher said in self-criticism. He seemed to really take his own words to heart. It seemed whatever he was talking about really bothered him.  

            “We noticed,” Ruffnut said. Hiccup started towards the table, perhaps she could find out more about Night Furies if she asked Gobber. He did know the most about dragons.

            “No you were great, that was so Asher.” Snotlout gushed, trying once again to push a friendship on Asher. Hiccup approached the table as Gobber started talking. She picked up the one untouched plate with a piece of meat on it. Snotlout scooted over and kept her from sitting down with them. Everyone else just watched her silently.

            “He’s right you have to be tough on yourselves. Where did Hiccup go wrong?” Gobber asked. Hiccup rolled her eyes at the singling out, and the freeze out at the table. So she moved to the one next to it.

            “Uh, she showed up,” Ruffnut jibed.

            “She didn’t get eaten,” Tuffnut added in. Hiccup grabbed a cup of water as Snotlout scooted over to the area there too to keep her once again from their table.

            “She’s never where she should be,” Asher said solidly from his perch at the table. Hiccup cringed. His opinion of her was still low.  

            “Thank you Asher,” Gobber said as he moved behind the others. “You need to live and breathe this stuff.”

            Hiccup sat down and picked at the food before her. Why did they always shut her out? She’d never spent extensive time with any of them but Snotlout, they were cousins. She was sure they might actually like her if they gave her a chance. “The Dragon Manual,” Gobber said and dropped a heavy book down on the table where everyone was sat. “Everything we know, about every dragon we know of.”

            Hiccup looked at the book under Gobber’s arm as thunder rolled in the sky outside. There might be something about the Night Fury in there. “No attacks tonight.” Gobber said as he moved off from the table. “Study up.”

            “Wait you mean read?” Tuffnut looked aghast.

            “While we’re still alive?” Ruffnut asked in horror.

            “Why read words when we can just kill the stuff words tell you stuff about?” Snotlout slapped his fist on the table.

            “Oh, I read it like seven times,” Fishlegs looked enthusiastic as he addressed the table. As he started talking, the whole table looked at him in disgusted horror. It was sad, because Fishlegs was normally so quiet, now they might just freeze him out like they did her. “There’s this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And-and there’s this other one that buries itself for like a w-“

            “Yeah, that sounds great,” Tuffnut cut in. He held up a hand and closed it in front of Fishlegs. “There was a chance I was gonna read that.”

            “But now…” Ruffnut finished looking bored and put out by the prospect. Hiccup rolled her eyes again, twins.

            “You guys read. I’ll go kill stuff.” Snotlout stood up and the twins jumped up shoving each other. Fishlegs jumped up still explaining about the dragons he’s seen in the manual. Hiccup got up to walk over to where the book was, right next to Asher.

            “So I guess we’ll share?” She asked meekly while trying to sound confident. He pushed the book towards her and got up.

            “Read it.” He dismissed her and walked away.

            “Uh, all mine then. Wow, so uh, oh ok uh I’ll see you uh-“Hiccup stammered and heard the great hall doors slam behind Asher as he left, she sighed, “Tomorrow.”

            That went perfect, Hiccup thought sarcastically. She really needed to recover from that disaster. He’d never notice her if she was like this. Shaking the thought of her dream boy from her mind, she went in search of a few candles. She ignored the pitying looks she got from the few vikings that had remained after her father left. They lingered for a few minutes finishing their drinks, she ate and gathered the last of the candles and worked with some of the women to clean up. Finally alone Hiccup sat down with the Dragon Manual. She opened it up and exhaled, time to really learn.

            “Dragon Classifications; Strike Class, Fear Class, Mystery Class,” She read turning the page. “Thunder Drum, this reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled the Thunder Drum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range; extremely dangerous kill on sight.

             “Timberjack, this gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown trees; extremely dangerous kill on sight.” Hiccup poured over the artful depictions of the dragons vikings had fought for centuries, “Scauldron, sprays scalding water at its victims, extremely dangerous kill on sight.

            A loud crack of thunder startled her and she looked up seeing the great hall door swing open showing the storm had picked up. “Changewing, even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight. Gronckles, Zippleback, The Skrill, Boneknapper, _Whispering Death_. Burns its victims, parries its victims, chokes its victims, turn’s its victims inside out. Extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous; kill on sight, kill on sight, kill on sight.”

            She flipped through the pages one by one as she listed off what she was reading. Until she stopped at a blank page at the end, “Night Fury,” She whispered. “Speed unknown, size unknown; the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon, your only chance is to hide and pray it does not find you.”  

            Hiccup looked up, and pulled her journal from her vest. She opened to the page where she had sketched the dragon and dropped it onto the open page. She had gotten the first drawing of one. It sent a shiver down her spine at what was written. But she had a hard time attributing her drawing to the monster written. She ran her fingers over the picture.

Night Fury.


	4. Chapter 4

_At sea:_

            Wind blew over the sails of the Berk ships as they neared the massive fog drift that surrounded an unknown, unmapped part of the ocean. It was here the dragons were abundant. They thrived here because they were hidden. The vikings couldn’t see them, but the dragons knew they were there. They always did. Stoick stood over a map as they approached. He ran a hand over the place on the map they were sailing towards. “I can almost smell them,” He said to Spitelout and the other vikings around them, “They’re close. Steady.”

            The boats sailed closer to the fog, examining it and the cliffs that dotted the thin fog above. Stoick watched it and waited a few more moments before he spoke, “Take us in.” He ordered.

            “Hard to port,” The viking steering called as he turned the rudder. The three ships turned and eased into the fog. Stoick was certain this time they could get to the nest; they had to, “For Helheim’s Gate.” 

            All seemed still as they entered, there was a low hum in the air as they did. It was quiet, too quiet. That was when the fire blast hit them, and a dragon showed itself just above them. It roared and flared its wings ready to engage in battle.

***

_Dragon Killing Arena:_

            “Hey, you know I just happened to notice the book had nothing on Night Furies. Is there like another book? Or like a sequel maybe a little, uh, Night Fury pamphlet?” Hiccup asked as a fire ball blasted her axe. It obliterated the entire thing until all she was holding was the handle. “Whoa!” She looked around for the source.

            “Focus Hiccup! You’re not even trying!” Gobber yelled from above. Today the arena had been turned into a maze where the Deadly Nadder was released on them. Gobber of course was up above watching all of them from there. Hiccup spotted the culprit of her almost demise. The Nadder squawked at her from down the row. As it ran toward her, Hiccup took off looking for a safer place to hide from the dragon. “Today is all about _attack!_ Nadders are quick and light on their feet. Your job is to be quicker and lighter.”

            Hiccup figured that was true as the Nadder was now hopping from each wall of the maze stalking her. She managed to feint one direction and get out of its sight. Now all she had to do was double back to Gobber. As the Nadder lost sight of Hiccup it saw Fishlegs, it threw its tail up and the spines that lined it sprung from the tail where it whipped them at him. He screamed and used his shield to avoid getting hit with one of them. He lunged at the wall to dislodge the spines from his shield and continued running. “I’m really beginning to question your teaching methods!” Fishlegs yelled.

            “Look for its blind spot,” Gobber offered as he picked his teeth. “Every dragon has one.”

            Hiccup ran down one row and from behind her the twins ran up and turned down the way she had come from. They ended up right in front of the Nadder. “Find it, hide in it, and strike.” Gobber instructed.

               Ruffnut stood behind Tuffnut and they made eye contact right in front of the Nadders snout. It snuffled and croaked a squawking noise. It snorted and Ruffnut let out a whoosh of breath as she smelled her brother. “Ugh, don’t you ever bathe?” 

            “You don’t like it; then just get your own blind spot.” Tuffnut bumped her shield with his butt. She flung his shield aside with her own and got in his face.

            “How ‘bout I give you one.” She head butted him and their horns got tangled. The Nadder reared up and she looked up with enough time to yank Tuffnut out of the way as it blew fire at them.

            “Blind spot yes, deaf spot, not so much.” Gobber chuckled as he watched these kids run around like chickens. He saw Asher, Snotlout, and Hiccup run past the row below him. Hiccup stopped and looked up at him.

            “Hey uh, so, how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?” Hiccup asked from below shrugging her shoulders. He was pleased she was at least interested in learning about dragons but she really needed to focus on the issue at hand.   

            “No one’s ever met one and lived to tell the tale,” He said rubbing his head in exasperation. “Now get in there!”

            “I know, I know but hypothetically-“Hiccup started as she backed up from the row she was in.

            “Hiccup!” A whisper had her turning to see Asher crouched low to the ground, Snotlout perched behind him. Their looks of fury mirrored each other as they looked at her. “Get down.”

            Asher looked around the corner and saw the Nadder, he yanked his head back. He inhaled a few times to steady himself. As the Nadder turned its head he barrel rolled to the other side of the row opening. Snotlout followed him and right as Hiccup started to roll after them, the shield weighed her down and she landed in the opening of the row. It spotted her.

            Hiccup scrambled up as the Nadder moved after her. She narrowly avoided getting her lower half bitten off. She turned a corner and kept running. The Nadder leapt up onto the maze wall and jumped over to another one before spotting Asher and Snotlout. “Watch out bro I’ll take care of this,” Snotlout said pushing Asher to the side. He flung his flail at the Nadder and missed. It looked at the weapon in surprise just as Asher looked at Snotlout with disdain. Then he took off leaving Snotlout to trail after him. The Nadder shot fire at the space they had just vacated. “The sun was in my eyes Asher. What do you want me to do block out the sun? I can do that, but I don’t have time right now.”

            They ran from the Nadder as it gave chase, Asher shouted as he rounded a corner near where Hiccup was standing, the Nadder crashed into the maze and it started to collapse one wall after another. “H-has anyone seen one napping?” Hiccup asked Gobber as the other recruits ran past her. Gobber was leaning on his elbow as he watched them.

            “Hiccup!” he yelled. She turned to see Asher climb up one of the walls leaping away from the Nadder that was right on his heels.

            “Hiccup!” Asher yelled as he fell on her. His axe ended up lodged in her shield and their legs tangled. As appealing as this situation was the fury in his eyes had her squirming to get away. As he struggled to get up he pushed her head down with his hand.

            “Ooh, love on the battlefield.” Tuffnut joked from a pile of broken walls. Ruffnut laughed beside him.

            “He could do better.” Ruffnut said.

            “Let me-, why don’t you-,” Hiccup offered as she grabbed Asher’s arm only he shook her off. He shoved her down by the collarbone and she yelped in pain. He stood up right as the Nadder burst from the wood and charged at them. He jerked at his axe still lodged in the shield attached to Hiccup’s arm. She yelped again as he yanked at the shield, before giving up and stepping on her cheek and pulling until it tore off her arm. Hiccup curled up as Asher got free just in time to smash the Nadder in the head with the shield attached to his axe. The Nadder turned away shaking its head before walking away. He stood there heaving in breaths before looking at the axe.

            “Well done Asher.” Gobber quipped from above.    

            Asher turned on Hiccup where she was balled up, “Is this some kind of joke to you?” He demanded. She looked up at him and uncurled, “Our parents war is about to become ours. Figure out what side you’re on.” He pointed his axe at her and she shrunk back in fear. The look in his eyes was the farthest thing from what she wanted to see. It seemed Asher was just like Snotlout and the others, against her.

***

_The Cove:_

            Hiccup returned to the cove, unable to stay away from the Night Fury, but she had seen him unable to hunt fish. Today she brought one with her just to see if he really did like fish or if he was just doing it because there was nothing else for him to hunt. They stole sheep, and yaks, and whatever they could. She used a shield to approach the small little trail between boulders into the bottom of the cove. She stayed behind her shield and tossed the fish into the cove. It didn’t go far, and she didn’t see the Night Fury. However as she moved forward her shield got stuck right at the last inch into the cove and she rolled her eyes. She slipped under it, she tried to pry the shield out but it was stuck. Hiccup picked up the fish and moved further along the bank cautiously.

            She had returned. He noticed her as she struggled to get down into the little cove he was trapped in. She smelled like fish, and he saw it in her hand, she also smelled like metal. Another weapon on her person, the same one she’d had before? Was she going to try to kill him again? She had left him stranded here after stealing his tail. He couldn’t fly no matter how hard he tried. All because of her, and she hadn’t even the gall to kill him. But why return to watch him, was she gloating over his inability to fly? Why come with fish? Was it for him? Was she apologizing with fish? He might forgive her for fish. He snuck up behind her and as she walked past his hiding spot he crawled over the boulder. That was when she saw him.

            Hiccup stared wide eyed at the Night Fury as he crawled down the boulder he was perched on. His eyes never left her his wings flared before setting against his sides. He inhaled the air and growled. She offered the fish he inhaled and approached much like a cat would. He walked from the side wing up high and opened his mouth. He jerked back with a rumble and narrowed eyes. She jerked her hands back and looked as his eyes narrowed on her side. She pulled her vest away to show the dagger she kept on her. He tensed up as she reached to grab it. He growled and when she removed it and dropped it he nodded his head to the water. She flicked it up with her boot and kicked it into the water. He was insanely intelligent.

            Instantly his eyes widened calmly. The pupils widened and he looked at her with a tilted head. He cooed at her so she re-offered the fish. He approached the same way he had before. As he opened his mouth she marveled at the pink gums. “Huh, toothless, could’ve sworn you had-,” She started, as a full set of teeth sank down through his gums startling her. He snatched the fish and ate it, “Teeth.”

            He was grateful for the fish, apology accepted. But right as he finished he looked at her. She was thin for a human, many of the vikings that came after the other dragons were large. Was she not eating enough? Had she given him all the food she had? He approached her to sniff for malnutrition in her scent. She backed up and sat her back to a boulder in the ground. “No, no, no!” She said pressing herself into the rock, “I-I-I don’t have anymore.”

            So it was the last of her food, well that wasn’t fair at all. He looked up and forced his body to regurgitate the fish. The tail came up and landed in her lap. “Ugh,” She made a noise and he sat back on his hind legs, watching her. She would eat and wouldn’t go hungry. Females had to be looked after, especially one as small as her.  

            Hiccup was perplexed by the Night Fury’s behavior. All the other dragons only showed hostility, not this one though. This one had spared her life and hadn’t outright attacked her since the time she’d freed him. Now he had shared his food with her. She’d never heard of such a thing. Oh, no, he wanted her to eat it. His gesture was open and easy to read. She sighed and lifted the fish up and bit into it. She made a noise as if she was enjoying it. Raw fish was absolutely disgusting. Especially if it was coated with his saliva, ugh! Then the Night Fury motioned for her to swallow. She looked at him exasperated. Then she swallowed and threw up a little in her mouth. She forced it all down and smiled at him.   

            Her eyes widened as he stayed still and narrowed his eyes on her face in confusion. His mouth pulled open in a lopsided mimic of her smile. Teeth gone once more, were they retractable? She stood up in awe and reached out cautiously to him. His teeth sank back into his mouth and he gave a little growl before taking off into the air, he flew to the other side of the cove. She’d pushed it, but something inside her lightened. That was the most companionable moment she’d ever experienced. She didn’t want to leave she wanted to learn everything about this Night Fury.

            He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He’d shared his food with her to ensure she was fed. Then she’d done that maddening thing with her face that perplexed his mind. He had to mimic it, and strangely her face expression calmed him. He wanted to calm her beating heart as well. And it had, enough so that she was comfortable enough to try and touch him. But he was not one of their pet animals. He walked over to a shady patch of ground and exhaled a stream of plasma fire at the ground. He looked up at a bird as it left its nest. Lucky. He watched it fly and looked down to see the human girl sitting a few feet from him. Her eyes were wide and curious as she waved at him. He huffed and laid his head down and flicked his tail up to cover his face, annoying little pest.

            Hiccup should have left, she should have walked home but she couldn’t make herself do it. She’d opened something here between them and was desperate to keep up whatever it was happening. So she followed the Night Fury, cautiously stalking him as he settled on coals he created. He watched a bird and she sat down staring at his cat like head and feline mannerisms. He saw her and looked utterly put out by her very existence. He even hid his face behind his tail. She smiled; he was a prideful dragon indeed. She reached out to touch the tail fin. But he caught her and she hopped up pretending she wasn’t doing anything. Trying not to push him too hard for a response. Maybe touching was a no go, what did she have to do to reach that point?

***

            A while after the girl had tried to touch him again, he woke from a small nap. He was hung up in a tree by his tail and wrapped in his wings. To his surprise the girl was still here. He saw her across the cove on a rock. She was hunched over and doing something that drew his curiosity. He walked over and sat behind her to look at whatever it was she was doing. There on the ground was an image of him. She was drawing him. He watched the little stick in her hand move and suddenly wanted to do that as well. He had made the weird face gesture. Now he wanted to draw, he could do that.

            Hiccup had left the Night Fury alone to nap and now he had woken up. She found her thoughts consumed with what she was learning about the Night Fury. She was drawing an image of him in the dirt when she realized he was behind her. She stiffened but didn’t stop drawing. She didn’t want to mess up again. He cooed as his head moved with the stick’s movement. Then he sidled off away from her and she looked after him confused. Then she saw him leap into a tree and tear off a branch. With it latched in his teeth he approached where she sat.

Hiccup watched in wonder as he moved around dragging the broken part of the branch in the dirt around her. He looped around and she realized he was drawing. Even after hitting her in the head with the branch she was still in awe. He was mimicking her again. He looked almost excited. She stood up trying to follow the lines.

            He had drawn, dragging a broken branch in the dirt, his rendition of her. She had drawn him so he had drawn her. He was proud of it, it looked perfect. He sat back and looked at her expectantly. She stood up looking around before she stepped forward a few steps and landed right on one of his drawn lines. He growled, he’d done hard work here, and she wouldn’t ruin it.

            Hiccup froze when the Night Fury growled at her; she realized she was standing on the drawing. She lifted her foot and his expression went from hostile to open and a soft purring coo came from him. She stepped down again and he growled, lifting her foot he cooed again. She did it again before she stepped into an untouched piece of dirt between his drawn lines. She smiled warmly at him, and moved around and around watching her feet, arms outstretched for balance. She ended up with her back to the Night Fury and froze. His breath fanned out on her hair and she turned around to see his wide eyes boring into her. His eyes were filled with as much wonder as hers in those green depths. She reached out and his nose crinkled up in a snarl. She pulled her hand back and he immediately relaxed. She felt her heart race and decided she needed to offer trust to him. So she ducked her head and closed her eyes. She reached out, it was hard, she was so afraid he’d take her arm, but this was about her trusting him so he could trust her. After a moment she felt his snout on her palm and she tensed up before relaxing and looked at him in shock.

            He was amused by the human girl. She had been dancing within the lines of his drawing before she stopped in front of him. The closest he had allowed her to get since the fish exchange. She was such a strange creature, so unlike other humans. He was fascinated by her. She reached out and he pulled his lips back in a snarl. She pulled back and he relaxed. He wasn’t ready for her to touch him; that was too forward. Humans.

His eyes widened when she tilted her head down and closed her eyes. Her hand was outstretched again and he gaped at her. She’d left herself unaware of him. He could kill her now and she would let him. She was trusting in him to not eat her alive; she wanted to touch him. But she wasn’t going to look. This act of trust… He leaned forward, tugged by the unseen ties they were forging. He would trust her as well. He pressed his snout into her hand and she shrunk under his grasp. What was he doing? He looked into her eyes as she looked up. He saw all the disbelief in her eyes and he knew it mirrored his. She hadn’t thought he’d do it, neither had he. He stared a moment more and snorted before fleeing into another part of the cove. He needed to work through what had just happened.

            He had let himself become attached to a human. That was unheard of. He looked back to where she was and didn’t feel any hostility towards her. He trusted her to come back, to bring him food. He trusted her now to not kill him. He trusted her to not bring another viking here. He was trusting this human female. What had he become?

            Hiccup was amazed; her hand still tingled with the touch of the dragon. She had touched a Night Fury. She decided she’d pushed it enough and left the cove. She was reeling from the hours she’d spent with him. Night was descending and she wasn’t sure she wanted to go home. He wasn’t anything like what they had thought. Not an ounce of real hostility had met her the whole day. He was highly intelligent. Almost human in his thoughts, his ability to comprehend what she was doing and to copy it? Unreal. And his teeth retracted! He was literally toothless until he let his teeth descend. She should give him a name. Something with so much emotion and thought deserved a name. “Toothless,” She breathed. That was it, he was Toothless. She couldn’t wait to go back tomorrow. She tried saying it again, and felt her face split into a smile, “Toothless.”

***

_Berk:_

            “And with one twist, he took my hand, and swallowed it whole.” Gobber was telling a story, gesturing with a roasted hen on the stick he was holding. “And I saw the look in his face. I was delicious. He must have passed the word on because it wasn’t a month before another one came and took my leg.”

            The other recruits were all eating as they listened to Gobber regal them with stories about dragons and his adventures killing them. Hiccup wasn’t really listening, she didn’t want to. After the day she had, she was almost sick hearing about dragons and vikings killing them. “Isn’t it weird to think that your hand was inside a dragon?” Fishlegs said from his place beside Asher and Ruffnut. He was holding two legs of a chicken and was gesturing with them. “Like if your mind was still in control of it you could have killed the dragon from the inside by crushing its heart or something.”

            Hiccup just lifted her fish and set it over the fire, she should eat. The talk of killing dragons was really making her uncomfortable. It was already bad enough, after being around a dragon all day who didn’t completely hate her presence, to this where everyone thought she was useless. She was uncomfortable, and didn’t speak the whole time. She didn’t want to, so instead she filled her mind with Toothless instead. “I’m so angry right now,” Snotlout growled, “I’ll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I’ll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight; with my face.”

            “Uh uh uh, no; it’s the wings and tails you really want.” Gobber pulled the wing off his roasted hen and Hiccup looked up in shock. Tail? “If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon is a dead dragon.”

            Realization dawned on Hiccup. She had downed Toothless. He couldn’t fly because of her. And he had forgiven her if his behavior was anything to go by. “Alright I’m off to bed. You should be too. Tomorrow we get to the big boys. Slowly but surely, making our way up to the Monstrous Nightmare. But who will win the honor of killing it?”

            Asher looked over and noticed Hiccup wasn’t sitting with the group. Her fish still smoking on its stick. He frowned and looked for her, seeing her vanishing down the stairs that led up to their perch. “It’s gonna be me.” Tuffnut said proudly, “It’s my destiny see.”

            “Your mom let you get a tattoo?” Fishlegs gasped.

            “It’s not a tattoo,” Tuffnut explained, Asher got up as he showed off his weird birthmark. He walked over to watch Hiccup as she hustled down to the village. Where was she going?

            “Ok, I’ve been stuck with you since birth. And that was never there before.” Ruffnut said in disgust behind Asher.

            “Yes it was. You’ve just never seen me from the left side until now.” Tuffnut said in defense. Asher shook his head; she was probably just getting into trouble again. Of all the times to be doing this, she was supposed to be learning how not to be a liability. If she died… well he didn’t want to think of how much that would devastate the chief.

***

_The Forge:_

            Hiccup had spent hours transferring some of the images she’d sketched onto a larger piece of parchment. She had gotten Toothless in flight, with his wings spread and of his head. She was becoming obsessed. But it was rightly so. She had an obligation to him, and she would see it through. It had bothered her for the first hour she had sat here and drawn him. How would she get him back into the air? How could she help him fly again?

            She pulled her journal out from under some paper and opened it to the page where she had first sketched Toothless. She then nodded to herself and drew out a rough sketch of a prosthetic. She could make it; she was skilled as a smith. She hadn’t been wasting her time here as Gobber’s assistant. She sketched the dimensions of it and walked over to the forge itself. She breathed air into it through the bellows and flared the coals to life. She was going to break down a sword and create metal rods that would mimic the other side of his tail fin.

            Hiccup worked late into the night hammering out the rods with precision she had perfected. Her style was different from Gobber’s, but never had she made something with as much purpose as she was now. Hiccup was pouring everything into making this new tailfin for Toothless, she had to.  She finished the first rod and laid it out on the schematics. She nodded, now how to attach the whole thing together.

            Hiccup pried the bolts out of a shield and reshaped them to fit a new purpose. After they were changed and she had a bunch of them she weighed them, it couldn’t be too heavy. She fashioned everything, checking and rechecking to make sure it was perfect. After she had created the spine of the whole thing she found a piece of leather she sewed to slide onto the new fin. Once it was assembled she held it out, and looked at it. It had taken her a full night to complete and she was satisfied with the end result. She was certain this would work.


	5. Chapter 5

_The Cove:_

            It was dawn when she returned, he was astonished at how much he had missed her. “Hey, Toothless,” She called as she approached him. Was that what she was calling him? “Toothless, I brought breakfast.”

            He could stand the name if it meant food. She set a large basket down and kicked it over. “I hope you're hungry.” She said. He approached as his stomach rumbled and he licked his lips. She moved around the basket and he circled her movements. “Okay, that’s disgusting.”

            Silly girl, it was perfect, enough to slake his hunger. He stared down at the mound of fish, he circled it and she backed up waving at the fish. “I’ve got some salmon, some nice Icelandic cod, and a whole smoked eel.” She said as he nosed into the slimy mess.

            He smelled it and saw it all at once. The slimy yellow and black eel. He jerked back hissing in fear. The eel! The monstrous eel! Hiccup picked it up, how brave of her. He let out a great roaring hiss as he saw it in her hand. “No, no, no, no, no, no,” Hiccup tossed it away and he snorted in royal disgust. It was gone, they were safe. “It’s okay. Yeah I don’t really like eel much either.”

            Good, they could get along further.

            Hiccup marveled at the bit of knowledge she had just learned. Dragons didn’t like eels. But Toothless hadn’t been angry just freaked out. This was great; as Toothless settled in to eat she snuck behind him. “Okay, that’s it, that’s it, easy, easy.” She ducked past his wing as he kept eating, “Don’t you mind me. I’m just back here, minding my own business.”

            She knelt down and lined the new tailfin up to his tail as it sat on the ground while Toothless ate. She looked up to see Toothless toss a fish in the air and catch it swallowing it down. She moved the fin forward to attach but Toothless moved it just a little. When she touched it, it flipped up and she gasped. “It’s okay,” She said. She jumped onto the tail and tried to force it still only Toothless was stronger than her. She straddled the tail and sat down getting the fin attached. She was tightening it and checking out her handy work, “That’s not too bad,” She mumbled immensely pleased with the end result, “It works.”

            Toothless let the basket fall off his head. His tail felt different. Different in a sense that it was whole again, he was whole again! He spread his wings and shot up into the air, desperate to feel the wind in his wings. He got as high as the rim of the cove when he started to lose his balance. He was so close!

            Hiccup saw her heart leave her as she was lifted off the ground. She bounced on Toothless’ tail and gripped onto it tight. But as Toothless fought to gain height she saw the tail fin wasn’t extending as she had planned. She was looking at it trying to figure out how to make it do so, when Toothless lost his momentum. She screamed and she knew she needed to let go of her death grip to help him. She grabbed the edge of the fin and opened the fin by hand. As they neared the ground Toothless shot up into the air. They made it! They were alive!

            Her elation continued she watched the ground vanish underneath her, “Oh my-It’s working!” She shouted, she couldn’t believe it. She lifted the fin and Toothless banked right. “Yes, yes, I did it.” She said holding the fin in her hand as Toothless dove down back into the cove. Suddenly she was flung off the tail and into the cove water.

            He could taste the wind. His wings could almost kiss the clouds! How great it felt to be in the air. He almost lost it but somehow he’d managed to get up out of that blasted cove. He pumped his wings to gain air, but suddenly he was banking right and diving back down. He skimmed his feet over the water of the cove when he heard her. The girl was behind him, she was attached to his tail. He twisted in the air flinging her off, she hit the water with a scream and he lost his ability to fly. He looked down and saw the strange brown object that looked vaguely like his tail. This was what she was doing as he had been eating. He saw it had shrunk and he hit the water. He needed her to fly; somehow she had had a hand in his brief moment in the sky.         

            “Yeah!” Hiccup shouted from her place as she floated. The smile on her face was enough to ease his displeasure. Well, whatever magic she had worked he hoped she could replicate it.  

***

_Dragon Killing Arena:_

            “Today is about teamwork.” Gobber instructed as Hiccup looked at the massive door that was blasted open after Gobber unlocked it. Fire exploded outward as the doors flung open. Immediately after she was surrounded by smoke, she clutched her bucket of water tight as she walked next to Fishlegs. “Now a wet dragon head can't light its fire. The Hideous Zippleback is extra tricky. One head breathes gas; the other ignites it. Your job is to know which is which.”

            “Razor sharp serrated teeth that inject venom for pre-digestion,” Fishlegs seemed to recite as they circled backs nearly pressed together.  “First ambush attack, crushing its victims-“

            “Would you please stop that?!” Hiccup hissed at him. It was not helping matters. She was freaked out enough.

            Asher circled his back to Ruffnuts. He could hear the dragon as it moved around them his eyes narrowed as he listened. Snotlout and Tuffnut walked slowly as they listened in the dark smoke for the Zippleback. Snotlout was wary, but Tuffnut looked absolutely thrilled. “If that dragon shows either of its faces I’m gonna-“Snotlout started shoving Tuffnut to the side a step to look around and sound tough. He spotted horns in a ray of light through the smoke. “There!”

            They tossed their water at the shape and heard a girly shout. The smoke billowed past and saw it was Asher and Ruffnut, “Hey, it’s us idiots.” Ruffnut growled. 

            “Your butts are getting bigger. We thought you were a dragon.” Tuffnut said simply. Then he smirked and chuckled.

            “Not that there’s anything wrong with a dragonesque figure.” Snotlout said wide eyed as Asher stomped over and punched him in the face. He knew he was slight and thin, but that didn’t make him a woman. Ruffnut threw her bucket at Tuffnut and they watched as he was yanked into the smoke screaming out. Asher wanted to smirk, she may be of the opposite gender but she was the best friend he had.

            As Ruffnut moved closer Asher held out his arm, “Wait,” He breathed. He got his bucket ready but something, a tail, swept them off their feet. Tuffnut scrambled over on hands and knees screaming. He clambered over Ruffnut and got to his feet.

            “Oh I’m hurt! I am very much hurt!” He yelled as he ran past Hiccup and Fishlegs.

            “Chances of survival are dwindling, into single digits now.” Fishlegs said. Just then a Zippleback head slithered out of the smoke. It was green with rounded red scales that ran down its head and neck. It was serpentine looking, and it trained its eyes on them. It slithered forward towards Fishlegs, “W-whoa! Whoa!”

            Fishlegs tossed the water in his bucket at the Zippleback head and it growled breathing green gas from its mouth at him. “Oh,” Fishlegs shrugged awkwardly as he gave the Zippleback a crooked smile, “Wrong head.” The Zippleback head shot more gas at him.

            “Fishlegs!” Gobber yelled from his place near the wall. The Zippleback chased Fishlegs off as he ran screaming. Hiccup froze as the Zippleback head rounded on her. Then she noticed the second head had snuck up on her other side. It reared its head back and its head shuddered as it started to spark its jaws. “Now Hiccup!”

            She looked up at the Zippleback in apprehension and tossed the water up at the head. The water fell short and she watched both heads look at the water fall to the ground. Great, even they were mocking her. Its head sank down to eye level and the iris’ slits narrowed in its eyes at her. “Oh, that’s just great,” She muttered.  They rushed her and she fell to her back. Well, that went south fast, time to use something she learned from Toothless.

“Hiccup!” Gobber ran forward, this was it, the moment he’d feared would come. She would die here and he was too far away to stop it. Stoick would kill him, gods Valka would haunt his days until he died. He couldn’t let her die!

Gobber froze as the Zippleback jerked back from the fog, eyes wide and hissing in displeasure. Hiccup stepped out with her hands up motioning with her arms. The Zippleback jerked back from her in fear. The shrieks both heads let out had Gobber’s eyes widening. “Back, back, back! N-now don’t you make me tell you again!”

Asher stared at Hiccup in shock as she forced the Zippleback into its cage, and she never even touched it. How in the world-?

“Yes, that’s right. Back into your cage,” Hiccup smirked as she looked around seeing everyone watching her back. She lifted her vest and slid a smoked eel from within. It slid off her shoulder and she flung it into the cage. The Zippleback reared back into the cage in fear. Hissing and shrieking at it, the dragon tried to get as far away as possible. It was even climbing up the wall with its back legs. “Now think about what you’ve done.”

Hiccup shoved the massive doors shut and smiled to her-self. That was so much easier than training with Gobber. Toothless really did help her out today. A simple eel did what none of them could do. She turned and the smile fell from her face as she saw Gobber and the other recruits looking at her. They were all in shock; well she was the outcast here. “Okay,” She grinned and patted her hands dry on her vest, “So are we done? Cause I’ve got some things I need to, uh, -yup I’ll see-see you tomorrow!”

***

_The Forge:_

            The tail couldn’t work without a way to open it. The best way to make her invention work was to somehow make it move by hand. She was going to ride Toothless. The idea was to create a saddle, and she would open the tailfin with a rope. She needed to know exactly how it would work on Toothless. She was learning he had to move certain ways to fly.

            She started work on the saddle; she was going to spend all night making it. Leather work was infinitely easier than smith work. She knew how to sew; it was one of the few things she knew how to do as a woman. But this was finally turning into something useful. She brushed off the end result and smiled. Toothless would love it.

***

_Cove:_

            Hiccup held the saddle up to show to Toothless. Over the past few days they had reached a comfort level she was astounded to see. And it showed right now, he had been sitting watching her then he jumped up as if he were a dog playing. He shot off and she chased him. “Hey!” he was rather cheeky when he wanted to be.

            Toothless was thrilled to see Hiccup. He’d begun to plan his days based on when he saw her. When she came, the time they spent together, and when she left. She was fun, and the strange barrier between human and dragon was dwindling between them. She brought a strange item again. This one was made of some other type of design. It wasn’t like the fin she had attached to him. She grinned and he jumped arching his back playfully. He ran from her and she chased him it was fun.

            Eventually Hiccup managed to get Toothless to sit still, the promise of getting him into the air was the key to getting him to do what she wanted. She was pleased with the saddle on him it looked exactly as she had predicted. It hugged his back, but didn’t impede his movements. She had drawn it on a sketch of him; the sketches were beginning to litter her work desk. It was safe there since Gobber was so focused on dragon training. She was really utilizing her time.

            Once they were in the air over a body of water it was time to try and gain some air. Hiccup pulled the rope over her shoulder and was flung off the saddle as Toothless ended up sharply banking away from her. Well that was a design flaw.

***

_The Forge_

            The new idea was to try a hook, attached to the saddle. A small tether attached to a belt would keep her anchored to the saddle, so she wouldn’t fall off any more. Every test so far ended up with her in the dirt and in the water. Toothless seemed to enjoy being off the ground, but she was sporting the bruises. There had to be an easier way to figure out the way the tail worked. Then it hit her and she realized she needed to attach the rope to her leg.

***

_Forests of Berk:_

            Toothless loved the moments when Hiccup got him off the ground. He’d missed the wind in his wings. She was trying and he was happy for just the chance to get up there. If it meant doing it with her on his back, then so be it. But this time they climbed higher, and higher, until she did something and they fell down into a meadow filled with tall grass. Upon smelling it he was instantly in bliss. He rolled in it, what was this stuff? It was fantastic!

            Hiccup was annoyed that her idea hadn’t worked when she’d pulled with her leg to open the fin but it didn’t work out as she had intended. It was by far the easiest way to open the fin thus far out of the many tests they had done. But surely she could figure out how to get the leg rope to work in her favor. She got up from the fall in the tall grass and ran around looking for Toothless only to find him rolling around in the grass behind her. He looked like a cat with cat nip. That’s what this was! Dragon nip! She could use this!

***

_Dragon Killing Arena:_

            Hiccup looked at the dragon nip in her hand as she looked up at the Gronckle they were training with again. It knocked Snotlout across the arena and rushed through the air at her. Split second to decide and Hiccup decided to trust Toothless’ reaction to the dragon nip. Right as the Gronckle would have attacked her she shoved the nip forward in her fist. She shied back and trusted she would live through this. The Gronckle fell short and sank to the ground. Hiccup looked at it seeing its eyes blinking and dilating. It snorted as it breathed in the smell of the nip. She shoved the nip into the space between the Gronckle’s nostrils and rubbed it against the rough scales before moving the nip to the side. The Gronckle fell to its side following the smell.

            Hiccup couldn’t escape the other recruits later that day. She walked into Berk hoping to lose them, but they just followed her, it was on the bridge that she figured out just how to get away, “What’s-?” Tuffnut started as Ruffnut shoved him to the side.

            “How’d you do that?” She asked.

            “I’ve never seen a Gronckle do that,” Snotlout walked beside her and as nice as it was to have him actually being friendly to her. She really had places to be and a dragon to see.  

            “I left my axe back in the ring,” Hiccup broke away seeing their smiling faces and feeling a bit guilty she didn’t want to stay immersed in it. Before Toothless that was all she’d wanted. She almost ran into Asher and dodged away quickly. “You guys go on ahead; I’ll catch up with you.”

            Asher scowled after Hiccup as she took off. Something was strange, she was doing better in the ring. Something was going on he just wasn’t sure what. Why was she doing so much better than him? He’d trained for this, hours after hours of training and here she was. Suddenly amazing in the ring, over night? What was going on?

***

_The Cove:_

            The saddle made him itchy, and he was having a hard time reaching the itchy spots. And Hiccup seemed to notice. She broke away from her serious moments trying to help him fly to help scratch at his scales. It was fantastic. She was almost there; he grumbled and leaned into the touch trying to get just the right spot when her fingers scratched under his jaw and he collapsed completely relaxed.

            Hiccup was so amused by Toothless; he was like a gigantic cat. He loved being scratched, she felt bad the saddle was making him itch so she started to scratch him. She would try to line it with some worn leather; perhaps that would help his discomfort. As he leaned into her she moved her hands to try and get to where he wanted itched. However once she got under his jaw he collapsed to the ground. He let out a puff of air and looked utterly at ease. She looked at her hands in shock. Wow, she learned something new about dragons every day thanks to him.

***

_Dragon Killing Arena:_

            They were fighting the Deadly Nadder again. Asher flung his axe at the dragon as it ran out of its cage. Its crown of horn’s deflected the blade and it rushed him. He just managed to dodge out of the way, only he realized too late that Hiccup had been standing behind him with a mace in her hands.

            Hiccup dropped her mace and curled her arms up defensively as the dragon neared her, but once again it seemed to hesitate as it neared her. Looking her over, a battle cry had them both glancing over to see Asher running at the dragon with his axe. Hiccup took that moment of distraction to scratch at the scales behind the Nadders horns. She scratched about searching for the jaw underneath the massive lower portion of its mouth. Then she got it and the Nadder dropped to the ground; just as Asher got to them. He was holding his axe up ready to attack; he looked at her in shock and surprise.

***

_Great Hall:_

            This was getting weird. She could barely walk into the hall now. Any time she passed the table of recruits like her they bustled over one another to scramble to her table. They wanted to know her secrets, how she was doing so well with the dragons. Surely there was some way she could share with them. But she dared not think it. Toothless was her secret to knowing dragons. She was learning they weren’t so dangerous. But it wasn’t bad to finally be getting some attention around here. This was her home and her village, she loved these people. Finally they were getting along.

            Asher watched with annoyance as Hiccup was surrounded by the villagers in the Hall with them. He’d grown used to her being on the outside, safe out there. She was the village screw up, and he knew something was going on. He just wasn’t sure what. But all this attention, it was supposed to a rite of passage for all of them. He was assured he was going to be the best, and to see he wasn’t he just couldn’t believe it. He needed to get better.

***

_The Cove:_

            There were moments Hiccup was so enthralled by what Toothless was like. He was so catlike, lithe and careful like when he moved. He was playful like a dog would be; he would invite her to play like a dog would. In their time together she was learning so much and right now the glare on her hammer had him chasing after the tiny light it cast on the ground when the sun hit it. So she hid behind a rock and maneuvered it across the ground to get his attention. He chased it and it made her smile and laugh.

            It was back today! He saw it! That tiny light, it eluded him each chance it got and he would catch it today! Hiccup had been here but now she wasn’t in the immediate area. As good a chance as any, his saddle was on and he didn’t want to look preoccupied when she came back. So he pounced on the tiny light and checked to see if he caught it only to discover it was gone again. Blast!

***

_Dragon Killing Arena:_

            “Meet the Terrible Terror.” Gobber said as he pulled the lever on the massive doors the Terror was caged behind. Only they didn’t swing open. Instead a little door opened at the bottom. The Terrible Terror was tiny, with a green body and red markings on its back. A darker red lined its spine fins. It stood awkwardly and at the first glance it stuck its tongue out to lick its own eye. 

            “Hah! It’s like the size of my-,” Tuffnut started to make fun of the tiny dragon, everyone even started to grin. But that tiny dragon shot itself into the air and latched onto his nose scrabbling at his face. He went down and the rest of them lifted their shields to wield off the feisty little thing.  “Ooh, get it off!”

            As everyone scattered Hiccup tilted her shield to catch the sunlight and direct the little dragon off of Tuffnut’s face. As it leapt off to follow the light Tuffnut rolled over, “Oh I’m hurt! I am very much hurt!”

            Hiccup walked quickly jerking the shield a little to make the light jump and direct the Terror back into the tiny door it came from. “Wow, she’s better than you ever were.” Tuffnut remarked to the rest of the group as he gained his footing. The Terror wiggled under the cage door and as it swung out Hiccup braced it with her foot. She looked back at them with a small awkward smile.

***

_Raven Point:_

            Asher threw his axe at a tree in rage. He pulled it from the tree and backed up to his mark. He threw the axe repeatedly to vent out his anger. Better than him huh? No way was Hiccup getting better than him! He grabbed his axe and rolled ready to fling it at a new tree. She was- she was-, right there.

            He turned seeing her standing in his path with wide surprised eyes. She wasn’t wearing her vest, instead her green tunic showed off how slim she actually was. She was wearing a leather harness that crossed over her chest and connected to a belt. She was also carrying a bundle in her arms. What was that? She looked away with a wince and walked away hastily. She moved behind a boulder and he followed quietly, but when he looked over the boulder she was gone. He smashed his fist into the boulder in frustration. What was it she was doing to get so good?

            Hiccup was certain she had it this time. She’d spent all night before the training lesson working on it, now all she had to do was test it. She was heading for the cove and was surprised and horrified to find Asher in the area. He rolled across the ground and came up ready to throw his axe at a tree when he saw her. She froze and looked away with a wince, she was so busted. She needed to get away fast before he started asking questions. Talk about being caught red handed. She made it past the rocks and when she looked back he was heading back towards the village. She let out a breath of relief; that was a close one.


	6. Chapter 6

_The Cove:_

Toothless lay still as Hiccup went about her routine of attaching the tail to him, this time it was different feeling, but it wasn’t hindering his movements, so he allowed it. He focused his attention on the fish she’d brought him and ate happily. They were going to try again, sooner or later she’d learn to just let him fly, but he was happy to oblige her curiosity and quirks so long as it meant she would take him into the sky again.

            Hiccup looked down at her new version of Toothless’ tail. She’d reworked the leather to make it stronger.  She had added a cuff that went around his arm and a tether ran down the length of his body attached to the fin itself. However the rope was connected to the left stirrup of the saddle. She was going to flick it open with all the ease Toothless would when he flew on his own. Depending on how the other half of his tail moved would determine how her fin worked. She’d figured it out last night and worked hard again.

            Hiccup was certain this was the perfect way to get him to fly. The only problem was that he couldn’t do it without her. So she decided if it took her the rest of her life she would devote herself to this dragon. She would learn to fly him, to give that back to him. She would never allow him to die because she had downed him. So this time she was sure she would be able to figure out the movements.

            When he said he wanted to be in the air this wasn’t exactly what he meant. He looked at the tether attached to his saddle that kept him close to the ground. They were on a high point of the island. And for whatever reason, Hiccup kept him attached to a pole in the ground. And she was moving her leg, it changed something on the fin, it expanded and he ended up on the ground. He looked at her curiously and she wrote something down, before she gave it a name. He memorized it as she had asked.

            She was ecstatic, it was working, though they weren’t really off the ground she was learning how her own device was working. She expanded the fin and they landed on the ground. Toothless looked up at her and she wrote it on a piece of parchment. As she shifted and Toothless jumped back up to catch the wind in his wings off the cliff side it was too great. The tether broke and they tumbled into the woods. She looked up from where she landed and Toothless rolled to his feet. As he got up he tugged her up with him from where her harness was attached. She reached up and saw the hook itself had been crushed onto the ring on her tether.

            “Oh great,” She growled. She hadn’t brought any tools with her, and there was no way they could get back to the cove like this.  

***

_Berk:_

            It had taken a few hours, and a lot of cursing, but Hiccup had come to a conclusion. She couldn’t get free of the harness. She needed to get to the forge so she could pry the hook open. Now they were sneaking through the village at night trying to get to the forge. She tugged Toothless along by the tether, he seemed to be looking around either in awe or caution she wasn’t too sure.

            This was the first time he’d been on the village grounds. Sure he’d flown above it enough times to tell him where he was. But this was different; he’d never been on the ground here. Hiccup was leading him through the shadows and he was watching for guards as she was. They were patrolling. But he was absolutely interested in the whole place it was new but still familiar. He ducked back as a viking walked past. 

            “Hiccup,” the viking said as he passed. She waved awkwardly and as he passed she led Toothless into the forge. He wanted to follow the guard so she had to drag him. She was in luck Gobber wasn’t here, again. As she started to look for something to pry the hook open Toothless lifted a bucket before he tossed it.  She started to pry the hook open with a metal tool, when she heard Asher’s voice. She froze in horror. She needed to do something now!

            Asher had heard a crash in the forge as he was walking past on his way up the hill. He’d gone back seeing as the forge was dark, no one should be in there but Gobber and Hiccup. Was she in there? He approached and called out in case it was just her. “Hiccup? Are you in there?”

            The shutters opened and Hiccup jumped over the counter. She shut the shutters but she could have sworn he’d seen something moving in the shadows of the forge, “Asher, hey; Hi Asher, hi Asher, hi Asher.”

            “I normally don’t care what people do but you're acting weird.” Asher said pointing at her.

            Toothless spotted a sheep in the grassy knoll next to the forge building Hiccup led him into. He paced forward and the little sheep froze upon seeing him. He stalked forward and the tether tugged.

            Hiccup was jerked back as she stood before Asher, she chuckled a little bit to defuse the situation. “Well weirder,” Asher said.

            Well that was nice, he thought she was weird. Nice to know. Crush on him officially obliterated. Just then the harness lifted her right off the ground. She blinked in frustration. Asher however looked at Hiccup in shock. She let out a sound of shock as she was pulled into the forge. Asher ran forward and opened the shutters but Hiccup was gone, no one was in the forge. What was going on?!

            Hiccup climbed onto Toothless and they raced out of the village. If she’d thought earlier was close, well she was dead wrong.

***

_The Docks:_

            The ship was a wreck, battered and burned to a barely functioning hull. The other two ships were gone. Everyone left had piled into this one boat to return back to Berk. After weeks of searching, this was the outcome. Everyone climbed off the boat to meet with their loved ones. Stoick got out off see Gobber waiting for him. “Well, I trust you found the nest at least?” Gobber asked as Stoick neared him.

            “Not even close.” Stoick bit out.

            “Ah excellent,” Gobber muttered.

            “I hope you had a little more success than me,” Stoick said, he hoped Hiccup had finally gotten better.  

            “Well, if by success you mean that your parenting troubles are over with? Then yes,” Gobber said taking Stoick’s pack from him. Stoick looked at him in confusion, but before he could ask about what Gobber meant the villagers who stayed behind were rushing down the docks.

            “Congratulations Stoick!” A shield maiden said as she passed him looking utterly happy, “Everyone is so relieved.”

            “Out with the old and in with the new right?” A viking asked with a grin as he passed.

            “No one will miss that old nuisance.” Another said as he turned down the docks.

            “The village is throwing a party to celebrate!”

            Stoick looked at Gobber in horror, his daughter! “She’s gone?”

            “Uh yeah,” Gobber looked away awkwardly, “Most afternoons, but who can blame her. I mean the life of a celebrity is very rough. She can barely walk through the village without being swarmed by her new fans.”

            “Hiccup?” Stoick asked in confusion grabbing Gobber’s shoulder as they walked. 

            “Yeah, who would have thought it eh? She’s got this way with the beasts,” Gobber said. Stoick felt a weight that had hung on him since he left on the voyage leave him. Hiccup was great at training now. Oh Val, he didn’t fail her after all. Their daughter was alright. She was following in their footsteps. It was time.

***

_Above Berk:_

            Today was the day; they were finally in the air. High above Berk they hovered. Hiccup was ready today to do this. To really fly with Toothless, it was like a dream come true. She checked everything over, and looked down at Toothless and patted his side, “Okay there bud, were gonna take this nice and slow.” She looked down at the piece of parchment pinned down by the saddle. It had all the positions the tail could utilize to fly. “Here we go, here we go, position…three, no four.”      

             Hiccup looked down and clicked the stirrup with her heel. It opened the fin.

            Toothless looked back at the fin and settled himself, this was it. It was time to show Hiccup what he could really do. Surely with all the fake flying she could do this with him. He started forward and tilted on his side banking in a circle. She tugged at the saddle making sure it would stay. He wouldn’t let her fall that much he vowed to himself. As he righted himself Hiccup looked back at his tail checking it over again, “Alright, its go time, its go time.” She leaned forward, and Toothless dove.

He felt her lean forward and that small motioned signaled him to dive. The wind screamed over his wings like a roar. They skimmed over the water of the ocean and he heard her encouragements over the wind. “Come on buddy, come on buddy!” She was elated, and he was pleased something as simple as a dive thrilled her.

            Hiccup looked up as they passed under a pair of sea stacks. The rocks held up a cliff and the birds nested above in the cracks and crevices. She was nervous but Toothless felt calm, relaxed, determined. He could do this, they could do this. He was certain of it. Now he just needed to make sure she was certain of it. He flew out of the cliffs and the wind eased out again. “Yes, it worked!” Hiccup looked around more confidently.  She leaned into Toothless and he lifted up into the air, only he crashed his shoulder into a pillar of rock jutting from the ocean. “Sorry!”

            Toothless huffed as he flapped his wings to re-orient himself after careening into a sea weathered rock pillar. But just as he shot forward he slammed into another one thanks to Hiccup’s poor sense of direction here. Her leaning back got him slammed there, he growled, “That was my fault,” She said sheepishly. He flicked his head and slapped her with the fins that grew off his head. She let out a sound of pain. He smirked, time to get it together, “Yeah, yeah, I’m on it.”

            Hiccup glared down at her cheat sheet, she needed to get it together. Hitting two rocks, ugh, she could do this! “Position four,” She said checking her stirrup, and then she frowned that wasn’t right, “Uh, three.”

            This time when Hiccup leaned back and the fin opened Toothless got the message. She wanted to go up; he would show her how to fly high. She would be a Night Fury by the time he was done. He pumped his wings, thrilled by the feel of his muscles flexing with strong movement. He missed this, he’d longed to feel the wind on his face and here it was. It had never felt better. He let out a small roar of joy.

            “Yeah! Go baby!” Hiccup yelled from her place gripping her saddle. He climbed higher his wings taking them higher and higher. She loved this, the power behind Toothless’ wings. He was amazing! “Yes! Oh, this is amazing the wind in my-; cheat sheet! Stop!” Hiccup let go of her hand holds as she tried to grab the piece of parchment that fluttered free of its place. Toothless leveled above the clouds and she came off the saddle, she looked down in horror as the tether came off the hook that kept them together.

            Toothless looked over the sky as their climb eased above the clouds. He heard Hiccup shouting through the wind but assumed she was still excited. That was until he started to sink in the air. He looked up and saw Hiccup there above him. She’d come off the saddle! He roared in fear he couldn’t right himself, and he couldn’t get to her like this. They fell through the sky and he roared and scrabbled looking for a solution.

            Hiccup’s worst fear had been realized. She was falling, and she only had herself to blame. She was going to die like this! “Ah, oh gods! Oh no!” She looked over in her free fall to see Toothless. He was looking around in absolute fear. She wouldn’t let him die! No! “You’ve gotta, kinda, angle yourself!” She called to him, hoping he understood like he always did when she spoke.

            Toothless tilted in the air desperate to listen to Hiccup, he’d never feared falling before, and now he had a real terror of it. “Ok, no, no, no, no! Come back towards me, come back-,”She yelled over the wind. He started to spin in the air, she reached out to him and he tried to assist, but his tail whipped out in the spin and struck her.

            Hiccup held her face as she cradled it, the wind tore at her clothes and Toothless fell a little further below her. She managed to uncurl and reach out to the saddle in a moment where his wings weren’t flying all over. She gripped the parchment in her mouth as she managed to force her legs over him and into the stirrups. She flicked the tail and he rolled in the air before he got to an upright position.  Then she forced her weight back pulling Toothless into it. His wings snapped out and their descent ebbed back. They were almost touching the trees.

            Toothless felt his tail open as Hiccup settled her tiny self on his back; he rolled in the air, frantically trying to right them. He flung out his wings and they snapped open, catching the wind in a screaming descent over the forest trees. They were going to make it; she’d gotten to him in time. His gritted teeth opened in a fearful roar as he saw the rocks jutting from the fog overlaying the water. All that fear hit him even more. They were going to die, and he was going to lose her. No!

            Hiccup jerked the cheat sheet out of her mouth to look at it, but they were coming in too hot near the jagged bluffs. She looked at the sea stacks, then the sheet and made a snap decision. This was her invention, and Toothless couldn’t save them alone. He let out another fear filled roar and she threw the sheet away. She sank in close to his body and flicked the stirrup with her foot. She looked down as Toothless moved beneath her taking the shift with her. She flicked the fin again to change course. They swerved around more rocks and she clicked it again and he rolled in the air.  Like a shot of darkness they weaved through the rocks and out into open air.

            Toothless’ fear fled him the moment he felt Hiccup tuck in close to him. She flicked his tail open and he let his body work through his fear. He swept into the rocks with precision and grace. Just when he thought he wouldn’t be able to make it through his tail flicked again and they shot through the air. With another flick he rolled in the air before flying right out into open air. That was perfect; she was in tune with him. They had been perfectly in sync there. When he moved she responded, it was like he’d never lost his tail! And it was all thanks to her, his human! He happily shot a plasma blast in the air in celebration.  

            Hiccup allowed herself to breathe as they leveled out over open water. She threw her arms open and cried out in victory, “Yeah!”

            She slumped in annoyance as she saw Toothless had let out a plasma blast. She felt the heat as it hit her and blasted her hair back. “Come on.” She groaned.

***

_At Sea:_

            Hiccup sat against Toothless as she mulled over everything that had happened today. She had flown with Toothless. In a split second she had to do as her body and his body had demanded to survive. She was amazed by him, in the flight to get to this little island; she’d allowed Toothless to guide her in a bit of dragon fishing. Now she sat in front of a small fire and completely shocked by what had just transpired. Then she heard Toothless heaving from behind her. He spit up a fish head next to her. Sharing food was important she knew that now, it was a dragon’s way to show affection. “Uh, no thanks, I’m good.” She grinned and showed her own stick, he hunted it and she was eating it, cooked thank you.  

            She was still shell shocked by that first real flight. But she was enthralled by it, she was never going back and she knew it. Toothless was her dragon, he needed her to fly, and she was certain she’d never felt this friendship with another person in her entire life. She could do without the regurgitated fish though.

            Toothless was immensely pleased with the entire day. He’d gotten to fly, and felt even closer to Hiccup today. Something about the girl viking was making him trust her in ways he trusted no one. It wasn’t even about the flying; today she had shown she was as adept as him at it. But it was through her quick thinking and swift reactions they had been able to survive today. And after that, it was as if her movements were completely readable to him. They were thriving on a level of trust that burned in his body like the fire he lived on.

            He looked over to her and she was just as shocked as him. So he did what he knew would comfort him. He’d never felt like this before so he regurgitated part of his fish for her. She told him she wasn’t interested but he shook that off. The gesture was done, that’s all that mattered. She relaxed against him and he in turn relaxed as well. That was until a small little pack of Terrible Terrors flew into their space. He tucked his fish in close to him and growled threateningly. This was his fish; Hiccup had helped him hunt it. A little one took his offering to Hiccup and he snarled as two of them fought over it.

            Then a fish popped up in front of him. What? A walking fish? Impossible! Then he saw the Terror pulling away from his pile of fish. The nerve of that little thing, trying to steal his fish. He snapped his jaws over it and growled. He took it back and swallowed it down.  He let out a rumbling laugh of victory. Apparently the Terror took offense to that. It pawed the ground and looked ready to shoot some fire at him. Toothless wasn’t amused, and as it opened its jaws wide he shot a small stream of fire right into its mouth. It fell back and let out some smoke. It fell and squeaked in pain. Then it crawled away defeated. Toothless was pleased with his victory. That should teach the little nuisance.

            “Huh, not so fire-proof on the inside are ya?” Hiccup took pity on the poor little dragon and offered it her fish. She tossed it over and the Terror ate it whole. As she settled back down to relax the Terror walked over and eyed her. It approached again and eyed her once more. Then it nuzzled under her arm and settled in to nap. Hiccup looked down at the Terror in awe. She rubbed its stomach absently as she took in this new bit of information. “Everything we know about you guys is- is wrong.”


	7. Chapter 7

_Berk:_

            Hiccup was lost, not so much because of Toothless, but because of herself. She trusted Toothless with her life. She was committed to being able to help him fly. She was devoting all of herself to him, and that was not the problem she was facing. The problem was her father, her village, her life. She was afraid they would find him, afraid for his life. She was worried about how she was going to keep this secret. It was eating her up, because her father was home. She should tell him, she should prove to him that dragons weren’t what they thought they were.

            But how was she going to do that? She only knew how to disable them thanks to Toothless. And she didn’t want to risk taking anyone to the cove to see him. She was stuck, and unable to see a solution. She flicked a writing stick across her drawing board, trying to find a way to solve everything. She heard footsteps across the forge floors and looked up. She jerked up in shock, “Dad! You're back!” She exclaimed. She scrambled to hide her drawings of Toothless’ tailfin and her sketches of him. “Ah, uh I- Gobber’s not here so-!”

            “I know,” Stoick said as he leaned down to enter the back room. “I came looking for you.”

            She stiffened, that voice spelled disaster. It meant she was either going to be grounded forever, or yelled at for destroying the village. But she’d been good lately, wasn’t even in the village if she could help it. She absently shut her journal and pushed her drawings further behind her.  “Y-you did?”

“You’ve been keeping secrets.” He said sternly. Oh crap.

            “Bu- I uh,” Hiccup stammered awkwardly, “I have-I have?”  

             “Just how long did you think you could hide it from me?” Stoick leaned forward just a bit, that intimidating gleam in his eye. There was a reason her dad was chief.

            “I-I-I don’t know what you are-,” She started; she needed to explain this away. There was no way anyone could know.

            “Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it.” Stoick said and she felt her stomach drop in fear. No, she couldn’t have learned she loved Toothless; that he was her best friend only to lose him. Surely he wasn’t already aware of her dragon.

            “Oh?” She led. She needed to know just what he did.

            “So,” Her father leaned forward into the candlelight, “Let’s _talk_ about that dragon.”

            Crap.

            “Oh gods,” Hiccup knocked over her papers as she felt her knees giving way. She ran a hand through her hair. “Dad I’m sorry. I-I was going to tell you. I just didn’t know how to uh-”

            Her father’s chuckling had her hands stopping from pulling out her drawing to start explaining everything she had learned. She looked at him in shock. His chuckling turned into a full bellied laugh. In confusion she laughed weakly too. If he was laughing she wasn’t in trouble. At least that’s what she assumed, this was all very strange behavior for her father. “You-you're not upset?”

            “What? I was hoping for this.” He said with a jovial grin.

            “Ah, uh you were?” She asked confusion washing away she fear that had chilled her moments ago. He was hoping for her to befriend a dragon and fly with him all over the skies of Berk?         

            “Believe me it only gets better. Just wait until you spill a Nadders guts for the first time. And mount your first Gronckle head on a spear. What a feeling!” He was so excited he slapped her shoulder and once again her tiny frame ended up knocked back. “You really had me going there sweetheart, all those years of the worst viking Berk has ever seen.

            “Odin, it was rough,” Her father looked up as he spoke, “I almost gave up on you, and all the while you were holding out on me. Oh, Thor almighty!”

            She blinked in shock at her father as she fished herself out of a basket. So he didn’t know about Toothless. That was good. Well, not really but- She sighed and looked up at him as she got to her feet. His excitement seemed to be ebbing, seeing as he just took a seat. “Ah, with you doing so well in the ring we finally have something to talk about.”

            Hiccup looked at her father as her heart seized in her chest. He was right, they never talked before now. Never had anything to talk about, she sighed and wanted to cry a little. Instead she clenched her fingers tightly and tried to think of something to say. What was she supposed to tell him? ‘Oh dad by the way I flew a Night Fury today. He needs me because I actually did shoot him and when he went down he lost part of his tail. I named him Toothless and he gets me as a person. He doesn’t look at me like a disappointment. He actually wants to be around me. He’s my best friend.’ No she couldn’t say that. So she didn’t say anything. Her dad even looked eager as he scooted forward.

            Thankfully he got distracted and their eye contact broke. “Oh, I uh, brought you something.” He pulled a helmet from behind him and held it out to her. He turned the horn on it into place and looked up, “To keep you safe, in the ring.”

            Hiccup took it into her hands. It was the first real gift he’d ever given her. And it was a viking helmet too. She had never gotten one, nor had she been considered Viking enough to have one. “Wow, thanks.”

            “Ah your mother would have wanted you to have it,” Stoick spoke in a gentle voice, the one she attributed to a fatherly moment. She reached up to touch the metal of the helmet between the horns. “It’s half of her breast plate.”

            Hiccup jerked her hand back and looked up at her father.  He tapped his own helmet, “Matching set; keeps her-keeps her close, you know?”

            She felt her heart break a little. This was all that was left of her mother. Something they both would carry. It was perhaps the most touching and thoughtful thing her father had ever done for her. “Wear it proudly,” He said, “You deserve it, you’ve held up your end of the deal.”

            The deal, ugh. Hiccup set the helmet down the warm feeling she’d just had was rapidly draining back to ice. She needed to be alone, like now. She faked a huge yawn, “I should really get to bed right about now.”

            “Yes, good okay,” Stoick stood up, “Good talk.”

            “Yeah,” She said. “I-I uh, I’ll see you back at the house.”

            “W-we should do it again,” Her father muttered as he looked around, “Us-.”

            “Great, uh thanks for stopping by,” Hiccup hurried it along, now she knew where she got all her awkward from.

“I’m glad to stop by,” He said, “I like the uh-.”

“And for the uh, the breast hat,” Hiccup said back, now he wanted to talk, sheesh.

“The hat,” he reiterated. “I’ll uh-goodnight.”

She watched her father leave the back room and she shook her head at him. Then she sank to the ground holding her legs to her chest. Now what was she supposed to do?

Stoick stepped out of the back room of the forge and let out a heavy breath. That went well, he was proud. They hadn’t fought or anything. He stepped forward and knocked over a rack of swords and weapons. Shields fell from the wall behind him after the cauldron hit them. He stood up righting his helmet and pretended that didn’t happen. He wasn’t as clumsy as Hiccup, not at all.

***

_Dragon Killing Arena:_

            The whole village was here, reunited by everyone returning home. They were fighting the Gronckle again. Hiccup looked up from where she was sitting to watch the dragon move in the air. She was wearing her helmet, mostly because it felt like her mother was with her. She knew her father was watching today, this was the last class. One of them would be picked today. She froze as Asher backed up and sat next to her. His sharp eyes snapped over to her. He grabbed the top of her shield and shoved it down. “Stay out of my way,” He growled, “I’m winning this thing.”

             “Good,” She said back, “Please by all means.” More power to him, she really just wanted to get out of here and move Toothless somewhere further away from the village. Somewhere safe. Hiccup stood up and saw her dad up above the fencing. She saw him clench his fist encouragingly and managed to send a weak smile to him as she adjusted her helmet. She didn’t want to be doing this.

            The Gronckle was moving ahead, Asher was certain this time he had it. Everyone else was gone, it was just him and _Hiccup_. However she was doing it, this time he had to do it. He had to be perfect. He needed to prove himself to the village. He was ready. Asher looked up from his hiding spot and rolled to another one. Moving up to an optimum position to attack, carefully calculated movements, he was the best at this. He pressed his back to the wooden barricade he’d chosen to strike from. He held his axe close and pumped himself up to attack. “This time, this time for sure.”

            Asher vaulted over his barricade with a war cry and ran at the Gronckle axe raised high. Only once again it was on the ground incapacitated and Hiccup was trying to crawl through the barricade. Her weapons and helmet on the ground, once again she’d done it. She spotted him and waved her hands in a placating gesture. “No!” He shouted stamping his foot, “No, son of a – half troll, rat eating, munge bucket!” He cursed.

            Knocking sounded above and Hiccup turned her heart sinking once again at the rage Asher was displaying as he cursed and swung his axe in frustration. ”Wait, Wait!” Her father called from above as he approached Elder Gothi who had knocked her walking staff against the cage.

 “So uh, later,” Hiccup said, time to escape while she could.

“Nu uh, not so fast,” Gobber picked her up by her collar and set her back at his side.

“I-I’m kind of late for-,” Hiccup started. She froze as Asher turned her around his axe at her throat. Hiccup blinked at the dangerous look in his eyes.

“What? Late for what, exactly?” He demanded in near hysteria. Crap.

“Okay quiet down, the elder has decided.” Stoick spoke up from where he stood next to the elder.

Asher stood tall as Gobber held his hook above him. His eyes widened as she shook her head in denial. He wasn’t good enough? No!

Gobber frowned and pointed at Hiccup and the elder smiled nodding. The other Vikings roared in celebration. Hiccup’s eyes closed as her heart raced. All she could see was the murderous glare Asher turned her way, “Oh you’ve done it, you’ve done it Hiccup, you get to kill the dragon!” Gobber pulled her close and the rest of the kids her age surrounded her and lifted her up onto Fishlegs’ shoulder. The cheering went on around her as well as their cheers beneath her. However she was plastering a fake smile on, she was icy inside. Fear curled up inside her. “That’s my girl!” Her father bragged in joy above.

“Yeah, yes, I can't wait,” Hiccup said shaking a fist even as the fear bubbled up. “I’m so-…”

***

_The Cove:_

            “…-Leaving,” Hiccup called out as she walked. She carried a basket of supplies as she made her way around the cove’s lake. This was the only solution. She couldn’t give up Toothless, and she wouldn’t kill the dragon in the arena. “We’re leaving, let’s pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation, forever.”

She knelt down and opened the basket to check all of her provisions. She noticed the leather harness she wore wasn’t tightened properly and stood up to fix it. “Oh man,” It was as she looked up after a glare shining in her eyes she saw Asher sitting there, sharpening his axe ominously. “Hah! What the- Uh, um, uh, what are you doing here?” She asked trying to play the whole thing off. Get him out of here before Toothless saw him.

“I want to know what’s going on,” Asher said evenly as he held up his axe in the sunlight, he dropped the sharpening stone and looked at her. He stood up and hopped off the boulder he was sitting on, “No one just gets as good as you do, especially you.” He advanced on her and she backed up hastily. “Start talking!”

“Uh, uh, uh,” Hiccup stammered.

“Are you training with someone?” He asked she rounded a boulder as he looked her over sternly.

“I-I-I,” She stammered again, “Training?”

“It better not involve _this_ ,” He grabbed the leather shoulder pad that spiked out from her harness.

“I know _this_ looks bad but-,” He let her go and she tried to gather her words, explain this all away. A stick broke behind them, great, she was out of time. Asher looked up and grabbed the lacings of her harness from behind. As he turned out of the shadows she fell to the ground from the momentum. Crap, crap, crap!

“U-uh, you're right, you're right, you're right!” Hiccup scrambled up and ran after him, “I-I-I’m through with the lies. I-I’ve been making _outfits_.” She needed to get him out of here, now! “So you’ve got me, it’s time everyone knew. Drag me back, go ahead, here we go.” She forced his hand up onto her harness to drag her back. She bounced around in front of Asher’s vision to hopefully hide Toothless if he made an appearance. Then his hand closed over her wrist and he wrenched it behind her and she fell again, “Ow! Why would you do that?!”

Toothless was aware when Hiccup came to the cove, he had been expecting her for a while. She was speaking of leaving, and he was ready to head out for the day. That was when he noticed the boy who had followed her here. He knew this one by sight; he was a viking in truth. He would have killed Toothless before he ended up here. Hiccup was frantically trying to steer his attention away. Toothless remembered her not wanting to be seen in the town with him. Secrecy was the key here; the other vikings would kill him. But what would they do to Hiccup for hiding him? Caring for him? Toothless would never let anyone hurt her. The mere thought of them hurting her was unacceptable.

Asher kicked Hiccup onto her back roughly as she started to get up, “That’s for the lies,” He growled and dropped his axe onto her stomach it bounced back into his hand and she coughed up air. “That’s, for _everything else_.”

Toothless saw him knock her to the ground and kick her back down. Then he attacked her with the axe. That was the last straw, he believed she could handle herself but not like this. Toothless growled out a screech and the boy looked up. The boy saw him and lunged tackling Hiccup down. Enough!

Asher looked up at the sound of a dragon. As he saw it he gasped and rounded on Hiccup, tackling her down. “Get down!”

Hiccup looked up as Asher rolled to his feet ready to attack Toothless as said dragon bound over to attack Asher. She got to her feet and tackled Asher down. “No!” She shouted and wrestled the axe from him. She flung it away and turned to Toothless. “It’s okay!” She looked to Asher as she held up her hands. Toothless flapped his wings threateningly, “It’s okay!”

Hiccup turned to Toothless and looked him in the eyes, “He’s a friend,” She said. Hmph, some friend! Toothless thought. He settled back onto all of his feet and growled out a rumble. He tried to edge past her as the male stood up, but Hiccups hands settle on his head, so he stopped trying to move her. “You just scared him,” She said to the boy.

“I scared him?!” Asher demanded of Hiccup looking at the dragon in horror. He looked at the dragon trying to glare its way into his soul. Its teeth bared but it didn’t bite at Hiccup instead it was remaining beside her threateningly. “Who is _him_?”

“Uh, Asher, Toothless,” She smiled weakly and motioned to the Night fury behind her, “Toothless, Asher.”

Its narrowed green eyes narrowed further and it let out a vicious growling hiss at him. Asher shook his head and looked at Hiccup, she was insane. He turned and ran.

Well, now that that was done. Toothless sat down pleased with his conquest and protection of Hiccup and was now bored with the whole experience. “Duh du duh, we’re dead,” Hiccup sang. Toothless shrugged his shoulders and got to his hind legs walking off ready to continue the rest of his evening. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa; where do you think you're going?” Hiccup demanded sarcastically of her proud and slightly rude dragon.

***

 _Forests of Berk:_        

Asher scrambled through the forest, racing towards the safety of the village. What was Hiccup doing with a Night Fury?! Why hadn’t it attacked her?! She’d named it! He needed to get back to the village and get the chief. He’d know what to do. Asher looked back checking how far he was, and then he jumped over a log. Only his feet didn’t reconnect with the ground. His arm was snatched up and he was rapidly getting further and further away from the ground. He did the only thing he could do, kick his feet, grab at the black scaled paw wrapped around his arm, and scream.

Wow the ground was really far away, “Oh, great Odin’s ghost! Oh this is-!” He screamed, “Ahh!”

Hiccup patted Toothless after he picked up Asher; she needed to fix this right now. She grabbed the hand holds of her saddle and directed Toothless to a tall tree in the forest.  Toothless dropped him onto a branch and settled on the top limb. The tree bowed underneath them but Toothless kept his balance, Asher however was hanging by his arms over the forest hundreds of feet below. Good, maybe he would listen. Hiccup hoped so, someone had to.

“Hiccup!” Asher glared up at her kicking his legs aggressively. “Get me down from here!”

“You have to give me chance to explain,” She said desperately.

“I am not listening to _anything_ you have to say,” Asher edged his way across the branch, moving hand holds to try and get down on his own.

Toothless watched the male as he was trapped in the tree. It served him right, annoying pest. But Hiccup was adamant they come after the fool viking. And what she wanted he was willing to give her. But he didn’t trust the viking, he’d hurt her, and really had just offended Toothless himself. That just wouldn’t do.

“Then I won’t speak,” Hiccup looked down at Asher trying desperately to get him to let her explain. She held out her hands in an unthreatening manner and nodded to Toothless, “Just let me show you.”

Asher looked down in annoyance. What did she expect from him? “Please Asher,” Her soft voice reached something inside him, something that respected her despite her clumsy nature. No one was as much of a loner as her. It wasn’t as if she wanted to be. The whole village shunned her. Until now, now they were awed by her dragon skills. But she only had that because of this dragon. Gods, he was a fool. Asher lifted himself up onto the branch above him. As he got up he saw Hiccup extend her arm to help, from her perch on the dragons back. He ignored batted it away as he looked at the dragon. Silently threatening it to be tame.

He climbed up onto the leather padding behind Hiccup. He sat down and looked around, who would have thought, sitting on a dragon instead of gutting it. He was angry with himself; this went against his very nature. “Now get me down.” He growled.

“Toothless, down, gently,” Hiccup said to Toothless. She patted him and he shook his head. She wanted him to be nice, but right now he didn’t want to be nice. The human thought he was a monster, well Toothless would show him what a monster a Night Fury could be. He spread his wings out and stayed still, sarcastically holding still. “See, nothing to be afraid of.” Hiccup said as she turned in the saddle to look at Asher. _Nothing to be afraid of eh?_ Toothless thought.

With a powerful flap of his wings he shot into the air. Hiccups yell echoing around them as he made a furious climb into the sky. Asher screamed as they flew high above Berk. Hiccup looked angry as she held onto the saddle. Asher almost fell off the saddle as they flew vertically. “Toothless! What is wrong with you?! Bad Dragon!” She scolded.

Asher scrambled to grab at Hiccup, to somehow avoid being thrown off the dragon. That was probably what the beast intended anyways. He grabbed onto her, they leveled out and Hiccup laughed awkwardly. “Ha, ha, hah; he’s not usually like this. Oh no,” Hiccup sighed. Asher screamed again as Toothless rolled to his side and dove back first to the ocean below. They hit the water and leapt up above it. Then he kept hitting the water. “Toothless what are you doing?! We need him to like us!”

Hiccup was shouting at the dragon, trying to placate him. Asher held on for dear life but his iron resolve and stomach was left on that god forsaken tree. Hiccup pulled back on the harness Toothless wore and he shot back into the sky. He then proceeded to roll in a series of spins as he ascended. “And now the spinning,” Hiccup said with a droll tone, “Thank you for nothing you useless reptile.”

Asher gripped her tighter as the spinning tore a fresh bout of screams from him. Then the dragon let out his wings and rolled, spun and dove as he fell through the sky. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry!” Asher yelled as he wrapped his arms tight around Hiccup’s waist and buried his face in her back in fear. His legs were looped around her as if just by holding on to her slight frame he wouldn’t be thrown off, “I’m sorry!”

Well, that was fair. Toothless looked up at where the boy had wrapped himself around Hiccup. She was controlling him, her foot had moved the fin accordingly as he flew, letting Toothless take the lead. She wanted this vikings acceptance, perhaps the he was her mate. Did humans have mates? Toothless accepted the boy’s apology and eased up on his flight. Now that he sufficiently respected Toothless’ power, he could see the joy that flying gave. Just as Hiccup had.                                  

            As Toothless’ tension faded beneath her Hiccup relaxed in the saddle. Asher was pressed up against her, the closest he’d ever been. This was the first touch he’d given her that wasn’t rough or angry. As they stopped she pulled back on Toothless’ harness as he angled to fly up. She flicked the tailfin and they flew up into the clouds. Were they good now? Had she blown the attempt to make Asher understand?

            Asher attempted to open his eyes, that afraid of seeing what crazy stunt the dragon was going to put them through. But he was startled to see a world of clouds around them. Right over the line of clouds the sun was setting, casting a red, pink, and orange glow over them. He was in awe. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. His heart pounded as he untangled himself from Hiccup to sit properly on the saddle. As they ran over the clouds above him, he reached out, skimming his fingers through the foggy puffs.

            Amazed he flung his arms up, the wind ghosted over his face. They spiraled around the clouds and he saw them everywhere. Like mountains of fluffiness in a world so far above the ground. He was awed, his heart pounded at the sights he was seeing as they flew gently through the soft mountains. They were so small compared to these massive behemoths of mist. They flew until they sank below the high cloud line. It was nighttime already.

            There was still a level of clouds here, and the violet night sky was touched by the lights that ran across the sky. The green and yellow glow spun over the horizon. They flew over the edge of the ocean of clouds and there Berk was. It was dark out, but the lanterns and torches lit the town with fire. It looked perfect, the most beautiful image of his home town. This was what Hiccup wanted him to see. She must have seen this already, all of this.

            Toothless looked back to see the human boy Asher was in awe of the flight now. Bringing him back to the island of Berk was a good idea. Toothless himself hadn’t much liked the village until now. Experiencing the beauty of the village wasn’t lost on him. Hiccup had made it beautiful. Instead of a fire razed hunting ground, it was a place that held her in it. She had been born here, grown up here, lived here. Toothless never wanted to harm something that belonged to her again. She had given him back flight, she had shown him what it meant to not fear humans. It wasn’t about might and strength, it was about understanding. Toothless understood Hiccup, and she understood him.

            Hiccup had relaxed into the flight, letting Toothless guide their course. She loved the sky; it was beautiful in the lands made of cloud. And the sky ocean where the night sky touched the horizon, it was enough to make her heart weep. But seeing Berk was her favorite thing to see. Despite her hurtful childhood, filled with ridicule, she found Berk beautiful. It was her home, and she loved it. Toothless knew just where to fly to give them a sight but remain hidden. She froze when Asher’s arms circled her again and he rested his head on her shoulder.

            This wasn’t the grip of someone afraid for their lives. No this was soft, and nice. This was the kind of hold Hiccup dreamed of Asher giving her. She felt a goofy smile spread across her lips and she let Toothless fly them over the statue’s that glowed with fire to signal incoming ships. As they edged away from the village Hiccup urged Toothless higher in the sky. She couldn’t have hoped for a better flight. Toothless was the best friend she could have ever had.

            “Alright,” Asher spoke up, for the first time in hours, he was changed. Hiccup had changed him. She was like an entirely different person. He’d been awe when she started to get good in the ring. But that wasn’t her. This, this here was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. The real girl; “I’ll admit it, this is pretty cool.”

            Hiccup’s heart leapt, she’d succeeded in proving to Asher that Toothless was safe. She wasn’t in danger yet, and that was fantastic. That they had managed to show Asher this was the most wondrous thing in the world. “It’s-amazing,” Asher continued then reached over her leg to lay his hand on Toothless’ neck. “He’s amazing.”

            Hiccup looked down at Toothless as he looked up at them. He really was amazing. She’d known that the moment she’d laid eyes on him, that day on Raven Point. He was the most amazing thing to ever happen to her, “So what now?” Asher asked, she sighed as her high went straight to the dirt. “Hiccup, you're final exam is tomorrow. You know you're gonna have to kill a-” Asher stopped and looked down at Toothless before cupping his hand over her ear, “ _Kill a dragon_.”

            “Don’t remind me,” Hiccup sighed. She really didn’t want to think about that. Not after today.

A strange humming click sounded in the air, Toothless’ eyes widened as he instinctively dove down into the path the sound mapped in his head. He had to follow it, it was the call. “Toothless what’s happening?” Hiccup asked, but he paid her no mind, he couldn’t afford to. “Whoa, what is it?”                       

Hiccup heard them around her, the wing beats of other dragons, and then she saw them in the mist.  A Nightmare carrying a sheep flew past them. She sank down into Toothless’ body, “Get down,” She hissed. Asher sank down behind her. Toothless continued to fly and almost flew into a Nadder, also carrying food. Through the mist she started to see hundreds of dragons.

            “What’s going on?” Asher asked as he looked around. This wasn’t good, there were too many dragons. If they were seen this would be the end of them. He couldn’t let that happen. Not after today, not ever.

            “I don’t know,” Hiccup said and touched Toothless’ head. “Toothless, you’ve gotta get us out of here bud.”

            Toothless heard the fear in their voices, but he couldn’t afford to let them rule this moment. He needed to fly carefully. There was too much room for error, why had he flown so close to the call’s range? He knew was bad, and he hated it. Why would he risk Hiccup and her mate like this? Her couldn’t help it and it enraged him.

            Hiccup looked up again, seeing the hundreds of dragons around them, she then noticed it wasn’t just those two dragons hauling food, all of them were carrying sheep, yaks, chickens, fish. “It looks like they’re hauling in their kill.” Hiccup said as she looked over at the Nightmare next to them.

            “Uh, what does that make us?” Asher asked. He knew that thread of fear snaked into his voice and he regretted it instantly. He needed to be strong, at least so Hiccup wasn’t afraid. But he suspected she was alright, she trusted Toothless. He needed to as well. A Zippleback noticed them, its twin heads examining them incredulously. They came upon a dip in the air currents and Asher let out a small cry as they dove and moved effortlessly through the crags and rocks jutting above the water line. They were moving completely in unison with the rest of the swarm of dragons.

            Suddenly as they flew further in the fog seemed too thin and right above them was a massive volcano. The dragons led the swarm into a crevice. Hiccup and Asher shouted as the walls tightened around them but it didn’t stop Toothless. Inside the interior of the volcano, massive cliffs and crags jutted from the core below. Dragons perched everywhere. It was the nest. “What my dad wouldn’t give to find this.” Hiccup murmured.

            Toothless looked around, he couldn’t believe he was back here. He was almost certain he would never return. He wanted to spend his life on Berk with Hiccup, she made life worth living. But being back here, he knew, he knew he never wanted to come back. His new life was too precious to him. He left his identity as the Night Fury behind, he was Toothless now. This wasn’t him anymore. Toothless rounded the cavern and found an empty perch with an overhang. He hid behind the rock that held it up. He edged back to keep Hiccup and Asher hidden. He couldn’t afford for them to be noticed any more. Not here.   

            Hiccup frowned when she saw the dragons were congregating over the center of the massive cavern. They dropped their haul into the center, down into the bottom of the cavern. She couldn’t even see the bottom! “Oh, it’s satisfying to know that all of our food has been dumped down a hole.”

            A Nadder flew past dropping a large fish down, “They’re not eating any of it.” Asher said in confusion. For so long they’d thought the Dragons were hunting through their village. This was what they were doing with all the things they stole? Why? A Gronckle flew over the center and hovered there before regurgitating a small fish. A loud grumble sounded below as the little Gronckle scratched itself. It seemed to notice something and started to fly away only a massive dragon head snapped out of the abyss below. Its jaws closed over the Gronckle and ate it whole.

            Hiccup’s eyes widened in horror. She felt Asher still behind her, both of them frozen in shock. “What, is that?”” Asher whispered in cold stillness. The air in the cavern changed, the dragons all drawing back at the death of one of their own. But that monstrous dragon below! Dear gods, it was huge. It sank back into the orange mist that hung under the rocks. Then it popped its head back up inhaling, its eyes swiveling over to where they were hidden.

            Hiccup’s stomach dropped in fear. Then she stiffened in determination. They weren’t going to be food for that thing. She leaned down and touched Toothless’ head. “Alright bud, we gotta get outta here.” She said to Toothless, she saw the flare of the massive dragon’s nostrils. It tensed, “Now!”

            Toothless shot into the air just as the dragon snapped at the perch they had been in. He snarled and shot into the flurry of dragons trying to escape out of the vent high above them. The dragon below shot back up after the swarm. He forced himself higher and with Hiccups help they weren’t caught by it. Not that the same could be said for the Zippleback that flew below them. He didn’t dwell on it, he couldn’t, there were more important things going on here. He flexed his wings and flew them out of the vent. He’d escaped, and he would ensure he was never going back again.

***

_The Cove:_

            It was night time, and they had finally made it home. They were safe, and that was important. Hiccup moved with Toothless effortlessly. It barely took any thought now. She was reading his muscles, could feel when he wanted to change direction. She knew how his tail needed to move to do things. So if she needed to control their movements she could. She was getting good at this. She could help him fly as well as he could have on his own.

            “No, no it totally make’s sense,” Asher said animatedly behind her as they discussed what they had just witnessed. Toothless flapped his wings as they neared the ground and they landed effortlessly. “It’s like a giant bee hive, they’re the workers and that’s their queen.”

            Toothless shook his head and Asher hopped to the ground. Hiccup was slower to do so, still reeling from what she saw and what it meant. The dragons were not what they thought they were. They weren’t raiding Berk by choice; they had to bring back food. She’d seen a bunch of eggs in those perches where the dragons were hiding. It was by force. “It controls them,” Asher continued and started off, “Let’s find your dad.”

            “No! No,” Hiccup said hastily and jumped from the saddle. She ran after Asher and stopped him. She couldn’t let him do this; she knew he’d want to reveal everything. She’d been thinking of how to tell him he couldn’t the whole flight back, “No, not yet. They’ll _kill_ Toothless. No, Asher we need to think this through, carefully.”

            Asher stared at her incredulously and sighed. She loved this dragon. He followed her as she paced away a few steps. “Hiccup, we just discovered the _Dragon’s Nest_. The thing we’ve been after since vikings first sailed here. And you want to keep it a secret? Ugh, to protect your pet dragon? Are you serious?”

            “Yes,” She turned around, her eyes hardened with determination. He’d never seen that look in her eyes; it stilled his heart and sent chills up his spine. Right now she looked ready to fight to defend her dragon. She looked so viking like it made him want to follow her to the ends of the earth. She turned away her brows still furrowed. It was on him now.

            “Okay,” Asher said, “Then what do we do?”

            “Just-,” Hiccup spoke in a defeated voice. “Give me until tomorrow. I’ll figure something out.”

            “Okay,” Asher said, and he would. He trusted her. That reminded him. He punched her lightly in the arm, it still made her stumble. “That’s for kidnapping me.”

            Hiccup rubbed her arm in annoyance and looked to Toothless. He was drinking from the pond but looked up at her questioningly. She shrugged as if to ask him, _‘What am I supposed to do?’_ His reaction was to jerk his head and bare some teeth, as if he were saying, _‘Why are you asking me, human behavior is lost on me.’_ She looked back to see Asher’s face softened and relaxed. The most relaxed he’d ever been around her. Then he snatched her harness and pulled her forward. He kissed her cheek and her heart stuttered. “That’s for, everything else.”

            Hiccup stood there too stunned to blush, Asher walked a few feet away before he ran off. Seemed he was as embarrassed as she was. Toothless stepped up behind her, and cooed. She looked over at his wide eyes examining her. “Ah Wha-What are you looking at?” She growled out at him. Despite his knowing eyes she looked back at where Asher was escaping into the forest. A small smile crossed her face.


	8. Chapter 8

Dragon Killing Arena:  
All of the vikings of Berk had gathered around the arena to witness the final exam of the trainee who had surprised them all. Stoick walked out onto the massive stone dais cut out from the mountain behind the chained fence that surrounded the arena. “Well I can show my face in public again,” Stoick laughed as the vikings that all gathered roared with cheer. He held up a hand and the viking crowd eased down. “If someone had told me that in a few short weeks that Hiccup would go from being- well ah, Hiccup; to placing first in dragon training? Well I would have tied him to a mast and shipped him off, for fear he’d gone mad!”   
The crowd cheered and laughed, “And you know it!” Stoick laughed and sobered from the high he’d been on since he came home to find his daughter following in their footsteps footsteps. “But, here we are. And no one’s more surprised, or more proud than I am,”   
Hiccup stood on the ramp leading into the arena, her heart racing and as her father spoke and her stomach turned. She gripped the helmet he gave her tightly and looked into the arena in fear. She’d been up all night trying to figure out how to get out of this. She still didn’t have an answer. So she was going to do what she knew she could do. “Today my girl becomes a Viking.” Stoick’s voice spoke strongly and proudly. “Today she becomes one of us!”  
The crowd cheered and moved towards the fence line above the arena. Hiccup stood in place shivering in panic. Asher walked up behind her; his fingers trailed the stone walls as he looked at the weapons there. He could kill this dragon himself, even after what he saw with Toothless. But seeing Hiccup yesterday, strong and sure of herself; return to her meek self now was disconcerting. He decided encourage her, to trust in her abilities. “Be careful with that dragon,” He said.   
Hiccup watched her father walk through the crowd, he laughed and clasped arms as he went but he walked with purpose to the chief’s chair. The purpose in his step was to watch her kill a dragon. “It’s not the dragon I’m worried about.”   
“What are you gonna do?” Asher asked.   
“Put an end to this,” Hiccup said and looked down, “I have to try.”   
Asher looked at her and frowned, what exactly was she going to do in there? “Asher,” Hiccup turned to him and he froze at the look in her eye. It was a look of determination, but also of defeat. “If something, goes wrong. Just make sure they don’t find Toothless.”   
He stood up taller at this request. He looked into her eyes and squared his shoulders, “I will.” He vowed and looked at her seriously. “Just, promise me it won’t go wrong.”  
Hiccup wanted to say something, to reassure him. And just as she started to Gobber walked into the arena’s gate opening. “It’s time Hiccup,” Gobber said. She looked at him and her heart started to pound again. She looked back at Asher then started into the arena. “Knock ‘em dead.”   
Hiccup was grateful for this moment where Gobber was just the same. It lent a moment to soothe her fears. Even if it was brief. Hiccup walked into the arena and lifted her helmet onto her head. Gobber walked into the walkway as she walked past him. He closed the gate and she walked out onto the floor, the cheers and shouts echoing in her ears, “Yeah!” She heard Snotlout. That was nice the last few sounds she might hear would be him and the twins cheering. Great.   
She walked over to the rack of weapons and looked up to where Gobber had joined her father and Elder Gothi. She sucked in a breath and picked up a shield, then absently grabbed a small dagger after attaching the shield to her arm.   
“Hmm, I would have gone for the hammer,” Stoick mused as he watched his daughter in the ring. Gobber looked at him then back at the ring.   
Hiccup took in a strong breath and settled her nerves. She calmed herself like she did when she got on Toothless’ back and they took a particularly fast turn, or a steep dive. She found that center, just like she did that first moment she approached Toothless and he didn’t eat her. No, dragons weren’t what the vikings thought they were. “I’m ready.” She said.   
She faced the massive door in the center, to the largest cage in the arena. Inside it held the dragon she hadn’t seen yet. It held the same breed of dragon she had run from weeks ago. The one her father had to save her from. In a way it was poetic. That dragon led her father to push her into Dragon Training classes. This dragon was going to be her way to show him what she learned. Not in these classes but from the only being that understood her. Toothless.   
The massive wooden posts that held the cage locked were lifted and the doors burst open with flames licking along the insides. The Monstrous Nightmare was on fire as it roared. Its long arms tipped with long thin claws scrabbled along the walls and up onto the chains and iron rods of the cage above them. It shot a blast of fire into the crowd but the vikings wisely avoided the fire. As it climbed to the top of the cage the fire blew out on its skin. Its scales were a rich red with pale cream underbelly scales. He had darker red almost black streaks across his back and neck. His horns stretched tall above his head, and tall thin fins stretched all over his back. He reached down with one long winged arm and lowered to the ground. His fierce yellow eyes bore into her with a wariness that promised violence.   
“Go on Hiccup!” One viking in the crowd shouted over the eerie silence above. “Give it to ‘im!”  
She backed up a few steps as the Nightmare lowered its head to examine her. But she didn’t see the need to harm like the Nightmare did on the cliff side the night she shot Toothless out of the sky. No she saw him sizing her up like Toothless had done. She stretched her hands out and dropped her knife and shield.   
“What is she doing?” Stoick muttered as he leaned forward. Gobber leaned forward as well confusion filled Stoick’s chest with a sudden angry fear. Agitation swept the crowd.   
Asher leaned forward his hands wrapping around the gate as he watched Hiccup drop her weapon and only defense. His heart raced in fear. What was she doing?  
The Nightmare was confused at her actions, she could tell as he let out a low growl. It didn’t hold any threat in it, but she could see the tension. “Hey it’s okay,” She smiled, “Its okay.”  
He rumbled a growl again and his eyes narrowed on her helmet, he advanced slowly on her. She looked at him sternly but with determined and careful hands she took it off her head. She looked up at her father for a moment and the Nightmare snorted. He was so used to being attacked by vikings he couldn’t trust even a small girl like her. All the symbols of their own predators she held. Her knife was to hurt him, her shield to avoid his fire and disorient him, and her helmet to show him what she was. She would shed them to show him who she was. “I’m not like them.” She threw her helmet aside.   
In response the Nightmare’s eyes softened without fear and threat clouding them. She saw it and her heartbeat picked up with hope. She could do this.   
Asher leaned forward his eyes wide in disbelief but wonder. Just how amazing was Hiccup?  
Stoick stood up in shock. Gasps rang out around the ring, “Stop the fight,” He said.  
“No!” Hiccup shouted as she held out her hands. “I need you all to see this.” She reached out one hand and spoke evenly. She saw the Nightmare looking at her hand, sizing her up differently now, wondering if he could trust her. “They’re not what we think they are. We don’t have to kill them.”   
Stoick jumped up helplessly angry and yanked up his hammer, “I said stop the fight!” He smashed it into the ring. His fear spurred his anger up as he watched her down there with no protection.   
Hiccup watched as her hand was almost able to make contact. That trust was almost gained. But the Nightmare reverted back to his own name sake. Monstrous. She jerked back with a shout and ran as it shot fire at her. She screamed as she ran.  
***  
Cove:  
Toothless sat up from his nap as a very familiar female shout echoed through the forest. His eyes widened. Was Hiccup in trouble? He knew she was worried as she stayed long after Asher had left them. But she’d left him here and he was expecting her back soon. But what was that shout? Was she in danger?  
***  
Dragon Killing Arena:   
Hiccup ran from the Nightmare as it leapt after her it’s maw opened wide waiting for the perfect moment to fry her. What had happened? She was so close.   
Stoick shoved vikings out of his way. He needed to help Hiccup, “Out of my way,” He ordered. He was right all along. She wasn’t strong enough. What was she trying to do in there? There was no way Gobber taught her that in the ring, he’d fought with the man since they were young. So what was this?!  
Asher lunged at the gate as his worst fear was realized. Seeing her run, fear actually gripped him. “Hiccup!” He shouted. No, he couldn’t lose her, he twisted and yanked an axe off the wall. He jammed it under the gate and created and opening by pushing the handle to the ground. He crawled underneath the gate after her. He needed to help Hiccup.   
***  
Cove:   
Toothless ran at the wall of the cove. He leapt up scrabbling to get over. Like so many weeks ago he’d done to try and return home. But now, he was trying to get out to find Hiccup. He’d heard her scream, more than once. He was sure she was in danger. And he didn’t trust those vikings to keep her safe. He knew he could.   
His claws found purchase after he leapt from the wall to an overhanging rock. Yes! He got into the woods and inhaled smelling the path Hiccup took to get to the village. He followed it; he had to get to her. She was all that mattered.   
***  
Dragon Killing Arena:  
Hiccup ducked under a torrent of fire and managed to make it to the weapon rack and pick up a shield. She just managed to bring it up to her head when the Nightmare leapt over her.  
Stoick got to the gate that hung over the ramp, he forced it up and got down to the lower gate. He didn’t have any time, he needed to save her.   
“Hiccup!” Asher looked at her as she scrambled away from the Nightmare. What should he do? What did he need to do to help? He looked down at the splintered remains of the weapon rack and saw a stone hammer. He knocked the edge with his foot and it popped up into the air. He grabbed it and flung it at the Nightmare with a shout. It smacked the Nightmare in the head and drew the attention away from Hiccup. It ran after him and scrambled away from it.   
Stoick yanked the gate up, this was insane, not only was his daughter in danger, but now another of the recruits was as well. “This way!” He shouted. Asher looked up and ran over. He grabbed the boy and shoved him behind, Hiccup was almost there but a blast of fire cut off her escape. She shouted again and changed course as she ran. The Nightmare leapt off the wall and knocked her to the ground. She was caged under its claws.   
Gobber looked on in horror at the sight of Hiccup caught under the Nightmare. But right as he started to move to help Stoick save their little girl, a shriek of a sound whistled out around them. He knew that sound! He looked over at the crowd and from the walkway a Night Fury leapt up over the crowd and blasted a hole in the cage. It exploded below and smoke billowed as the Night Fury leapt inside.   
Toothless leapt onto the Nightmare the moment he saw Hiccup trapped underneath it. How dare this filthy monster hurt Hiccup. He sank his teeth into its neck and dug his claws into it. He forced it away from her.   
“Night Fury!” Gobber gasped as he saw it attacking the Nightmare. Why?  
The Nightmare flipped Toothless onto his back and as it tried to cut his belly open he kicked at it fighting it off. He saw Hiccup behind him and backed up roaring at the Nightmare as it roared at him. It wanted her as its kill. He refused, she belonged to him. She was his rider, his tail fin, his human. He backed up protectively. It tried to edge past him but Toothless was having none of that.   
Hiccup watched in stunned shock as Toothless fought off the Nightmare. How did he get here? Her heart hammered in realization that he came to protect her. He was still protecting her. And he intimidated the Nightmare away. It scrambled back into its cage. She jumped up as she realized he was here where the vikings were.   
And he was a Night Fury.   
In the Dragon Killing Arena.   
Wearing her harness and tailfin.   
Oh, this was so bad!  
“Alright Toothless, go, get outta here,” She said as she slipped her hand around his head and leaned on him to try and get him to move. She placed her hand on his nose but he was too busy examining her for injury.  
The rest of the villagers and vikings were swarming inside. She pushed on his head frantically. “Go, go!” She looked up and saw her father standing still in the entrance to the arena. Then he whipped around and grabbed an axe. “No dad! Dad, he won’t hurt you!” She screamed trying to force Toothless to run.   
Toothless looked up as he saw the leader of the vikings running at them with an axe. No way would he allow some monster viking to come after Hiccup. They were going to let her get killed by the Nightmare. He leapt forward; he’d fight this challenge as well. He swatted the vikings away with his limbs and tail as he waited for the big one to reach him.   
“No, no, no don’t! No no, don’t make him hurt-,” Hiccup shouted as she ducked under Toothless’ wing as it flung out. He leapt and met her father head on. They tumbled and rolled with Toothless on top of her father, “Toothless stop!”  
Stoick looked up, this was a Night Fury. It tackled him down and spread its wings opening its maw. That eerie blast of fire would explode upon impact. If he didn’t get hit with it the explosion on contact would very well rip him apart. How was he going to stop this?   
Toothless leapt and took the big viking down. Why hadn’t he done this sooner, then the dragons wouldn’t have had so much trouble gathering food. He drew up ready to end the threat.   
“No,” Hiccup said as she watched the two most important beings in her life were entangled and Toothless was ready to kill him. She snapped up and screamed, “NO!”   
Toothless swallowed back his blast of fire. Hiccups voice had been desperate. Why? He looked back his eyes softening upon seeing her. She looked frightened, but relief was in her eyes. She was glad he hadn’t killed the viking. But the rigid stance she had and frustrated look now on her face, something was seriously wrong.   
“Get him!” A weapon whipped out and slapped Toothless’ face away from where he was watching Hiccup. A new fear lodged in her throat as she watched the vikings fight him off of her father. Her uncle, Spitelout, grabbed Toothless’ head as he was reeling from the blow and smashed it to the ground. Her heart started to race faster than it ever had. Her friend, her best friend was being captured. They would kill him!  
“No, no, no, please just don’t hurt him!” She screamed and started towards where the vikings were piling upon her dragon. Asher grabbed her and held her back and she reached out despite that struggling to get past she had to save Toothless! “Please don’t hurt him.” She begged weakly as her father got to his feet.   
He was truly captured. The moment he feared had come to pass. The vikings had finally captured him. He felt no real anger, like he’d assumed he would. No, he wanted to throw them off, he heard Hiccup yelling for them to not hurt him. She was a fool, he was the strong one he was afraid of what they would do to her. Differences in his world meant exile or worse, death by claws and fire. What would happen to a young viking that didn’t kill a dragon but instead rode one? He tried to warble to her, to reassure that panicked tone in her voice. But the vikings slammed his mouth shut on the ground.   
Stoick caught his breath and turned his steely gaze to where the Night Fury was being restrained. His warriors were waiting for his orders. An axe was even being offered to him. But it was the look in that dragon’s eyes that startled him. It was a look of pure hatred. He shoved the axe away and issued his order. “Put it with the others.” He needed to find out just why his daughter had tried to touch a Nightmare. Why had the Night Fury come to her rescue? What in all hel had she been doing these past weeks?!  
***  
The Great Hall:  
Hiccup was tossed inside the Great Hall by her father and she stumbled before catching her balance. She looked up at her father and felt real fear for the first time in her entire life. The look on her father’s face was the one he gave Vikings who had failed him, a cold look of rage and disappointment. He stomped in hunched with anger, “I should have known,” He seethed as he walked past her, “I should have seen the signs.”   
“Dad!” She called out to him.   
“We had a deal!” He yelled looking back at her before stomping further into the shadows of the Hall.   
“I know, that was before I-,” She started and shoved her hands into her short hair. “Ah it’s all so messed up.”   
“So everything in the ring?” He pointed to the ground and turned on her. She stiffened as those angry eyes fell on her, “A trick?! A lie.”  
“I screwed up, I-I-I-I should have told you before now,” She stuttered frantically, “I just-, take this out on me; be mad at me. But please, just don’t hurt Toothless.”   
“The dragon? That’s what you're worried about?!” Stoick froze, through all of this she was still on about that dragon! She’d named it?! What had gone on while he was away? His daughter, the easiest pickings of all the dragons was harboring one? Insanity! She wasn’t even concerned for herself! For her village! “Not the people you almost killed?!”   
She almost backed up as all that anger was finally directed at her. Usually he stomped around, anything to avoid yelling at her in her face for something. Now it was at her, but she couldn’t back down not on this. “He was just protecting me,” She gestured out the door. “He-He’s not dangerous-,”   
“They’ve killed hundreds of us!” He made claws of his hands as he seemed to be trying to keep his rage internalized so as not to strike her. She wasn’t going to stop; she needed him to know this. She needed to protect Toothless, and she needed him to understand. To finally understand, she forced back the tears and stubbornly fought on.   
“And we’ve killed thousands of them!” She snapped back. Stoick drew back as if slapped. Good, he needed to learn the truth. “They defend themselves that’s all!” She said, he shook his head and started to pace, she was losing him. So she blurted out the one thing she knew would make him listen. “They raid us because they have to. If they don’t bring enough food back they’ll be eaten themselves. There’s something else on their island dad it-it’s a dragon like-.”  
Wait, he stopped moving and looked at her as her words played out in his head, “Their island?” He interrupted her, leaning in as his goal was coming to fruition in his mind. “So you’ve been to the nest?”  
“Did I say nest?” Hiccup asked fearfully as it seemed she’d finally gotten her dad’s attention but for the wrong reason.   
“How did you find it?” Stoick demanded as he walked forward.   
“What-no, I-I didn’t,” She stuttered and looked away from his intense look. “Toothless did, only a dragon can find the island.”   
That’s it! He’d been wrong all along. How else would a person get through that fog? They were able to find their own territory as easily as a viking reading the sky and water to return to Berk. All he needed was a dragon, and now he had a Night Fury that had taken his daughter to the nest.   
“Oh, no, no, no!” Hiccup gasped as the look of realization crossed her father’s face. She was now afraid for him. He couldn’t face that monster dragon, “Dad! No please! It’s not what you think. You don’t know what you're up against. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.”  
Stoick shoved her aside and frantically she tried to cut through that determined haze that descended on him. “Dad, please! I promise you, you can't win this one!” She huffed in annoyance and ran after him grabbing at his arm, “Dad… no. For once in your life would you please just listen to me!”   
Stoick whipped around as Hiccup grabbed at his arm. He knocked her down and looked at the frail form of his daughter. She’d not only brought danger to them all but she was actively trying to protect the nest. What had he done wrong? Had he messed up somewhere? No he did everything right, as he was supposed to. It was her, her he didn’t know. Somewhere along the line he’d lost his daughter. She’d chosen dragons over her own kin. “You’ve thrown your lot in with them. You're not a viking. You’re not my daughter.”  
Stoick walked out the doors and stood shaken for a moment as his whole core ached with pain. Guilt over what he had said. He’d just disowned her. “Ready the ships!” He yelled. He needed to get this done. The repercussions of this argument could be handled later. He had a nest to destroy and finally a way to do it.   
Hiccup sat in the Hall for a moment her breathing rapid and her heart torn asunder. He’d disowned her. There was no way he meant that; it was moment of anger surely. Right? She curled up for a moment and let the tears fall. She’d never been in that horrible of an argument. She prayed to the gods for strength, and then asked her mother from beyond to give her strength. She got up wiping her few tears away. They were leaving; she at least needed to watch as they left. Her father might really go to his death and despite this she still wanted to get a glimpse of him before then.


	9. Chapter 9

_Docks:_

With a heavy heart steeled with determination Stoick watched as the supplies and weapons they had were stocked for the voyage. The ships were ready in force; almost all of the vikings were going this time. He was sure this time they had it. His orders were short there wasn’t time. His anger was fueling him. Anger at the dragons, at his daughter, and even at himself. But there wasn’t time for that.

            The Night Fury was loaded onto his ship with extra protection upon him. He was strapped down and trapped with iron and wood. A leather muzzle was strapped over his mouth to avoid those fangs and fire. The elderly and children watched from above and Stoick spotted Hiccup above on the walkways, she was here it was to watch her precious dragon lead them to the nest. “Set sail, we head for Helheim’s Gate.”

            Toothless struggled to get out of the bindings the humans had forced him into. They had locked him up and fought him into these restraints. Hiccup was nowhere to be seen. He could only assume they had hurt her. He fought and tried to get away. He wanted to know for sure. But his eyes were drawn to the large viking once more. The one she didn’t want him to kill. He glared as the man glared back. “Lead us home, devil.” The viking snarled at him.

            Hiccup wanted to weep. She watched with horror as they loaded Toothless onto the boats. He was tied down and restrained, her worst fears were realized. They were sailing to their death, her father and her best friend. She stood and watched the ships sail off until they were out of sight. The agony was tearing her heart apart from within. Asher appeared at her side and she looked away in shame and anguish.

            Asher watched Hiccup as she stood watching the ships in misery. His heart ached for her. That amazing dragon had shown him the truth. They weren’t what they thought they were. But it seemed she wasn’t able to convince her father of that truth as well. He walked to her side and ignored that she looked away from him. He needed to snap her out of this, she was amazingly smart. There must be something she could do to save not only their people but her dragon and father as well. “It’s a mess,” He said to her, “You must feel horrible. You’ve lost everything; your father, your tribe, your best friend.”

            “Thank you… for summing that up,” She snapped. Hiccup reflected on everything that she had lost, and everything was her fault. “Why couldn’t I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods? Would’ve been better for everyone.”

            “Yep, the rest of us would have done it,” Asher said plainly, because that much was true. They wouldn’t have taken a moment to think otherwise. He turned to look at her. “So why didn’t you?”

            Hiccup didn’t answer, she was afraid to. Too afraid to admit it to herself, to anyone, why she had done it. Asher must have really wanted an answer seeing as he pressed her for it, “Why didn’t you?”

            “I don’t know,” She muttered, “I couldn’t.”

            “That’s not an answer.” Asher said his eyes trained on her. She had to admit it to herself before she could be honest with anyone else.

            “Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?” She demanded annoyed at his badgering.

            “Because I want to remember what you say, right now,” Asher said, because he’d follow her anywhere now. He wanted to know it was for the right reason.

            “Oh for the love of-,” Hiccup hissed before she turned to Asher and unloaded all the pent up frustration. “I was a coward, I was weak; I wouldn’t kill a dragon!”

            “You said wouldn’t that time,” Asher pressed, man was she sight, her fists balled up her expression pulled into one of anger and annoyance. It was a good look on her, honest, true.

            “Oh, ugh, whatever!” She exclaimed in exasperation. “I wouldn’t! Three hundred years, and I’m the first viking who wouldn’t kill a dragon.”

            That shut him up. The look on his face was one of shock. She whipped around and away from his eyes that weren’t angry. Why wasn’t he angry about that?  

            “First to ride one though,” Asher said hopefully. That seemed to leak the tension from her shoulders. “So?” He prompted.

            “I wouldn’t kill him, because he looked as frightened as I was.” Hiccup turned to look at him and admit all the truth she was holding inside. In that moment at Raven Point she knew Toothless was just the same as her. “I looked at him and I saw myself.”

            Asher looked at Hiccup and was pleased to see she wasn’t afraid. She wasn’t that same girl that ran from dragons and wouldn’t stay inside. Now he needed to get her to go forward. “I bet he’s really frightened now,” Asher said and gave her a stern look demanding results, “What are you gonna do about it?”

            Asher’s words woke something inside her. She wasn’t helpless, she knew that much. But as she stood there and listened to his words that weren’t kind and weren’t reassuring, she found herself. She had a plan in the works. “Eh,” She sniffed and looked at him, “Probably something stupid.”

            “Good,” Asher said, this was the Hiccup he liked. She was sure of herself. “But you’ve already done that.”

            That was true, she had done something stupid. But now if she’d exhausted stupid ideas, what was left? “Then something crazy,” She pointed at him because he’d led her to this conclusion. She turned ready to throw this into action. She didn’t have a lot of time.

            “That’s, more like it.” Asher smirked. For as long as he knew her those crazy ideas were the pinnacle of stupid moments. But now he knew she was sure enough of herself to do the crazy without the stupid. He’d follow this Hiccup anywhere. He ran after her.

***

_At Sea:_

As they approached the fog that surrounded the sea where the Dragons Nest was, Stoick didn’t even hesitate as he gave the signal to head into the fog. As the fog wrapped around their ships Stoick turned from where he’d been glued to his position to issue orders. “Sound your positions,” He ordered. It wouldn’t do to lose their forces before they could take the nest. “Stay within earshot.”

            Gobber was waiting when Stoick turned back to his position. He was nervous acting on Stoick’s blind rage. This whole excursion was on a whim. Trusting a dragon to lead them was insanity. On another note they didn’t even have a plan. He needed to get through to his friend. “Listen, Stoick, I was overhearing some of the men just now. And well you know _some_ of them, are wondering what it is we’re up to here. Not me of course.” Gobber rambled and looked around shadily, “I-I know you're always the man with the plan. But some, _not me_ , a-are wondering if there is in fact a plan at all, and what it might be.”

            “Find the nest, and take it.” Stoick said in a dark voice. Gobber bristled upon hearing it. Stoick hadn’t been like this since his wife died. Just what happened between him and his daughter?

            “Ah of course,” Gobber said jovially. Well, he was always ready to fight with Stoick, so if they were going to die. It might as well be at the nest they’ve spent their lives trying to find. “Send them running, the old Viking fall back. Nice and simple.”

            “Shh,” Stoick held out a hand as he turned and saw the Night Fury had his head down. The fin like appendages on his head were flicking and a low humming coo was going from deep in his body.   He was listening.

            Toothless had given up fighting when he realized where they were going. And when the call rang out he couldn’t help but home in on it. He knew the vikings were listening to him and using his own instincts to find the nest but he was unable to stop them. Maybe he could finally die. For bringing this much food home he might be spared. He might even be able to get away and swim back to Hiccup. But he knew that wouldn’t come to pass. He’d end up face to face with this viking leader again. So he lifted his head as the instincts demanded.

            Stoick shoved his way back to the rudder and looked at the viking manning it. “Step aside.”

            Stoick watched as the Night Fury tilted his head and every so often directed them in one direction then the next. Maneuvering the ships through narrow openings in the rocky crags revealed other ships and how far in they had gotten before being overwhelmed in the past. He heard the others whispering the directions he was going so everyone could follow. They were finally making progress. Stoick ignored the cost of this progress adamantly.

***

            Hiccup stood before the massive steel door that housed the Nightmare that almost killed her today. She clenched her fists at what she knew she was about to do. She had to save her father. She had to save Toothless. If she could get there first she could convince them to leave. This time she wasn’t going to fail.

            “If you're planning on getting eaten,” A voice had her turning ready to defend her way out of here. However she was surprised to see the other teens her age. Asher led them here it seemed. They looked just as fierce as they did weeks ago when she was stuck in the forge wishing she was out fighting dragons. Now look at her. She was planning to do something incredibly unlike her. Fishlegs smiled slightly as he addressed her, “I’d definitely go with the Gronckle.” 

            She frowned as she looked at them, they weren’t here to mock her, what on earth? Tuffnut shoved through his sister right up to her and leered down at her smugly. “You were wise to seek help from the world’s most deadly weapon.” He motioned with his hand narcissistically.

            Snotlout shoved Tuffnut out of the way. “I love this plan.” He said enthusiastically. She’d never seen him that excited when something involved her, or her ideas.

            Ruffnut shouldered him away and looked at her annoyed, “You're crazy,” She said getting into her face. Then her demeanor changed and a lecherous look came over her, “I like that,” She whispered.

            Asher grabbed the horns on her helmet and yanked her away from Hiccup, “So?” He asked as he placed his hands on his hips and smiled confidently. “What is the plan?”

            Her initial surprise ebbed and she smiled warmly. They came because Asher told them she had a crazy plan to stop their families from dying. And it involved dragons. She knew they learned everything they did like her in the ring. But now she had to show them what they didn’t learn. She turned back to the massive cage and steeled herself. Time to do this right.

***

_Dragon Island:_

            The fog had gotten eerier as they sailed through it, mindful of the crags that shot from the water below. One of their old ships hung from the sea stacks next to them. To see the ships here was a strange thing to behold. They had thought them lost, destroyed. “Oh,” Gobber mused as he looked up as they passed the figurehead of their old ship, “I was wondering where that went.”

            Stoick kept his eyes glued to the Night Fury, as its head lifted, rattling the chains as it inhaled and tilted its head periodically. Altering the course they continued their slow crawl through the water. Suddenly he lunged forward fighting his chains again. The fog started to thin and suddenly the boat beached itself on a bed of sea stones. Stoick moved to where the Night Fury was, listening to a low crackling hum that resonated in the air. He saw a reptilian red tail slither into the rocks of the mountain face above them. “We’re here.”

            He jumped from the boat to the smooth stones that covered the beach. Suddenly as he touched the ground he heard the eerie hum stop. He looked up confused. Well, they were here, now how to go about finding the nest itself on this island.

***

            Hiccup was astounded to learn that the same tactic she’d used on Toothless was the perfect way to get a dragon to relax. She’d been trying to recreate that moment earlier in the day. But the Nightmare had been to high strung and afraid to respond. It was that unspoken moment of trust between dragon and human that started the bond. She didn’t touch the Nightmare, only led him out into the arena. He was so intensely calm it was like she couldn’t even see the Nightmare he was earlier in the day.

            Asher watched in complete awe as he saw it firsthand how Hiccup had gotten Toothless to trust her. This was a Monstrous Nightmare, the most dangerous dragon only the top vikings in their village fought. And it was being led like a sheep by Hiccup. Just what kind of woman was she going to be? He saw the look of awe and excitement on the other teen’s faces. They were experiencing something amazing. He frowned as he saw Snotlout clam up; he wrung his hands and reached down to pick up a broken piece of a spear. Asher swatted the coward in the arm, “Nuh uh.”

            Hiccup led the Nightmare over and reached out to the first hand she could find. It just happened to be Snotlout. “Wait!” He exclaimed, “What are you-?”

            “Shh,” She huffed and at the noise the dragon jerked up, but remained completely at ease. She grabbed Snotlout’s hand again, “It’s okay.”

            Snotlout had never been this close to a dragon. Not really. And now he was inches from a Nightmare. His petite cousin had tamed this dragon into walking right over. She took his meaty hand in her tiny ones and splayed his fingers right over the spindly horn on top of the Nightmares snout. Upon touching the dragons scaly skin he realized it was extremely warm. The Nightmare’s rumbling growl came out and their eyes locked. It felt as if there was no one here but him and the Nightmare. He laughed, he couldn’t believe it. Suddenly Hiccup walked away and he worried the moment was passed. “Where are you goin’?”

            Hiccup was pleased Snotlout might have even bonded with the Nightmare like she bonded with Toothless. She walked over to the crate that held the weapons they used in training. She picked up a pile of rope and turned back to where they were all watching her incredulously. But Asher drew her eyes; he was smiling at her like he knew all along she could tame the Nightmare. “You're gonna need something to hold on.” 

            The sound of the freed dragons drew the attention of the teens and Hiccup smiled as they realized the weight of her plan. They were going to fly to Dragon Island. And she was going to save everyone from the dragon that slept inside the volcano.

            Fishlegs stared at the Gronckle as it looked up happily. Not so afraid of them, Hiccup had led with her hand. She didn’t look at the dragon until the contact was made. He guessed this was the principal of Dragon Taming. If that was so, Hiccup was the first viking to ever tame a dragon. This was a monumental moment for all of them. His heart pounded nervously and he held out his hand. The Gronckle growled slightly and Fishlegs looked away. He gasped as the feeling of a rough snout pressed into his hand. He blinked and looked into the Gronkles eyes, they were wide and warm with delight. The Gronckle was a softie inside, he could see. Just like him. He felt as if the whole world didn’t exist. And this Gronckle was his focal point.

            Asher walked up to the Nadder and eyed it as it eyed him back. They’d tangled more than once thanks to Hiccup. It tilted its head to look at him and he steeled himself. Toothless hadn’t liked him at first, and this one didn’t like him in training. But Hiccup was certain they could do this. He reached out his hand and looked down.  It took a moment but he felt the snout of the Nadder press into his hand. He looked up into the eyes of the Nadder and his heart raced. She was beautiful. The most beautiful creature that ever existed. Something about her drew him in, like she was meant to be his. He looked over at Hiccup and she smiled encouragingly. He smiled back and he knew it was wide with wonder. Hiccup had taught him to tame without force.

            Ruffnut looked to her brother and he looked at her. Their usual insults fell short as they bickered with eyesight. They held out their hands and looked away. If everyone else could do it Ruffnut was certain she and her brother could as well. The Zippleback had two heads, but were the same dragon. Much like they were twins, but different. A smooth serpentine feeling fell on her hand and she looked up. The head that was in front of her had leaned over its counterpart to touch her hand. She looked into its eyes and it held all the mischief and attitude she held inside. She smiled goofily at it and it bared its fangs back at her.

            Tuffnut knew the moment Ruffnut decided to give this a try they were going to be doing some real crazy stuff soon. A Zippleback was the craziest dragon to be seen. He liked it. This went further than their craving for mischief and danger. He closed his eyes and held out his hand as Ruffnut did the same. And he was surprised to find the dragon responded. Hiccup must be crazier than he had thought her to be. He looked up to find the head opposite to him had crossed over its other head to touch him. He and Ruffnut changed places and the respective heads sank down to them. He smiled and laughed. He couldn’t believe it. A dragon liked him. Nice.


	10. Chapter 10

Dragon Island:   
Stoick hunched down surrounded by the vikings around him. The rest were setting up their catapults, and creating a line of sharpened pikes that would protect them from being bombarded by the swarm of dragons within. Stoick drew in the dirt a small image of what he was planning. He wanted to protect the catapults and stay together or they would be cut off from one another. But at the same time he wanted to hit the wall from three points, and advance from there. He drew this out and pointed at the attack location with arrows. “When we crack this mountain open, all hel is gonna break loose.”   
“And my undies,” Gobber threw in to diffuse the fear. But even he was excited; this was what they had all strived for. “Good thing I brought extras.”   
“No matter how this ends, it ends today.” Stoick said with determination. It had to, for everything to become calm and normal. He held up his hand and the clamor of movement ceased as everyone took to their battle stations. He clenched his hand into a fist and the catapults were fired. Large boulders crashed into the mountainside chipping away at the stone before finally a hole was punched through to the interior. Silence fell over the vikings again.   
Stoick led the advance as the vikings seemed to draw morale from the sight of the gaping hole into the dragon stronghold. He stepped up and looked inside. This was the moment he’d lived for. But he’d always fallen short; his drive to return home made his attempts a failure. He remembered coming home and seeing his daughter toddling towards him, her cries for her father always made him want to return home. And now, now he had nothing left to lose.   
He stared into the dark abyss and tried to see further ahead. When he couldn’t he lifted his hammer to signal for a shot of fire from the catapult. The flaming ball of hay and rocks shot deep into the crevice they made in the mountain. As it flew through he saw hundreds, no thousands, of dragons all perched inside. The low humming sound started up again and he gave a mighty war cry and ran into the opened cave.   
As per his predictions the dragons swarmed. But to his surprise they didn’t swarm into an attacking horde, they flew out of the cave where the vikings were swinging weapons much like himself. But they did nothing more than fly out into the sky. What was going on here?  
Toothless had watched the humans stupidly break into the mountain where it slept. How could they do such a foolish thing? He once joked about letting them die but he feared what would happen now. Hiccup really had changed him, he now feared for the humans. Trapped as he was he couldn’t try to save them. He looked up as a real terror settled in his stomach, she would kill them all. His only solace lay in the fact that Hiccup wasn’t here.   
Gobber watched as the dragons escaped the fog into the sky above them. Spitelout climbed from the rocks. “Is that it?” Gobber asked. He was actually disappointed.   
Stoick watched the dragons in their retreat. Part of him wanted to rejoice in seeing just what he’d wanted. But something didn’t sit well with him. Something Hiccup had said. She had said there was something else here, something he couldn’t stand up to. He couldn’t win this one, she’d screamed at him before he- before he said the worst thing imaginable to her.   
“We’ve done it!” Someone cried from below. The rest of the assembled warriors cheered. Stoick remained silent, something wasn’t right here. He heard a low groan, and he looked to the ship where Hiccup’s Night Fury was still chained. He was trying to escape his bonds still but the look in his eyes was something that chilled Stoick and told him Hiccup was right. “This isn’t over!” He shouted through the cheering. “Form your ranks! Hold together!” He ordered and turned ready to fight.   
The ground started to rumble as Stoick looked back inside the cave and a wash of hot air blew out at them, echoed by a piercing roar. The ground below inside the cave started to break apart and he saw the spindly scales of a dragon inside rise up. He jumped down with the rest of his troops to try and put space between them and the dragon. Just what kind of dragon was it? “Get clear!”  
They ran. As much as it pained him to run from a challenge, Stoick knew they needed time to figure out what they were facing. The mountain wall broke apart and a head poked through the falling rubble. It was a gray blue color. But it was massive, the largest dragon he’d ever seen. “Beard of Thor, what is that?” Gobber asked as Stoick stopped running next to him.   
Two large crushing movements later and more of the mountain started to fall away. It pulled more of itself from within. Stoick gaped at the monstrous behemoth that was inside this mountain all along. “Odin help us,” He begged in shock.   
It was free, and looking at it he could only assume it was one thing. Legends told of a breed of dragon that towered over the rest. It was one of the Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus species. The legends he knew were of the Red Death. And by seeing the red spines that grew like coral from its back told him this was the Red Death. It stomped out and the vikings were completely lost form their formations. This was too much; he needed to get them in retreat. “Catapults!” He yelled.   
The rocks that were let loose didn’t even come high enough in the air to strike it. It roared and the sound swept over them like the call of the end. One catapult fired late and struck the Red Death on its snout. Its response was to angrily clamp its jaws over the contraption and destroy it.   
Stoick kept moving, one viking before him lifted his sword confidently. “Get to the ships!” He yelled.   
“No! No!” Stoick yelled back, all of them flocking would give it a bigger target. And it noticed. It let out a blast of fire like Stoick had never seen. It engulfed all of their ships and had the vikings that escaped in the water. But they were scorched by the fire. Stoick could only hope they were okay. He could only beg the gods that they didn’t let him lead his village to death.   
Toothless watched as fire licked along the edges of the boat he was on. He struggled anew. He could die by fire, how utterly humiliating would that be. He cursed the humans in his head, he cursed his cowardly people, and he cursed the Red Death.   
“Smart that one,” Gobber mused as they made their way from the wreckage and the ruin of their plan.   
“I was a fool,” Stoick admitted, he saw Spitelout waiting for orders and gave him one he could handle. One he was depending on. “Lead the men to the far side of the island.”   
“Right!” Spitelout said and turned already following orders. He always was a good soldier, even if they didn’t get along all the time.   
“Gobber,” Stoick looked at his best friend, the only man he trusted implicitly. “Go with the men.”   
“I think I’ll stay.” Gobber said as he followed after Stoick. They ran towards the dragon while the vikings ran with Spitelout. “Just in case you're thinking of doing something crazy.”  
“I can buy them a few minutes if I can give that thing something to hunt.” Stoick said desperately. He had failed this. If there was anything he could do for his people now it was to ensure they made it out of here alive. As his arm lifted up Gobber grabbed it, then clasped hands with him in comraderie, like thye used to.   
“Then I can double that.” Gobber said. Their eyes locked and they acknowledged the years between them. All the battles, the birth of his daughter, and the death of his wife. Gobber had been there for all of it. Nothing needed to be said, if they died they’d meet again when the Valkyries came for them.   
Stoick turned to the massive Red Death, “Here!” Stoick yelled.   
“Oh, ho, ho no. Here!” Gobber yelled. They ran screaming for the dragons attention. They caught it as it was trying to toss a viking into its maw. It missed and the viking fell. Stoick grabbed a pike from the ground and threw it at the dragon’s eyes. It didn’t even bother it, instead it hunched down to look at him.   
“Come on!” Gobber yelled drawing the dragons massive head to swivel to him, “Fight me!”  
“No! Me!” Stoick yelled. He froze as the dragon decided it would just obliterate them both by raising up ready to blast them with fire. He got ready to fight, to somehow avoid the fire. But from behind a blast of fire burst on the back of the dragons head. He looked up in shock as he saw not only dragons coming to their aid, but the children on their backs.   
***  
Hiccup had flown on a Night Fury, and now she knew it wasn’t all that different riding another dragon. They flew in a comfortable pattern but as they broke through the fog she was horrified to see the dragon from within the mountain outside of it. Not only that but her father and Gobber were below where it was planning to rain fire upon them. She gripped the Nadders rope tightly and Asher’s hands tightened on her in a reassuring gesture.   
She patted the Nadders head and she let loose a blast of sparkling fire right onto the dragons head. No time to think, she had to get this going now. “Yah! Ruff, Tuff, watch your backs!” She shouted as the dragons wing flipped out as it reeled from the blow she’d given it. “Move Fishlegs!”  
Stoick stared up at his daughter as she rode a Deadly Nadder and issued orders to the other teens. He spied the twins on the dual heads of a Hideous Zippleback. “Look at us we’re on dragons!” Tuffnut exclaimed. “All of us.”   
The vikings all watched as their children flew on the dragons they trained on. What had happened that children came to their rescue.   
“Come on, let’s move.” Hiccup said as the dragons banked over the burning boats.   
“Every bit the bull headed, stubborn viking you ever were.” Gobber said as he approached Stoick again. Stoick could do nothing but nod. His daughter was amazing. She’d not only tamed a Night Fury, but she tamed and taught the other teens how to fly dragons.   
Hiccup looked at the dragon angrily, something she never thought she would feel. She wasn’t strong enough to have stopped this before her father got here. That was her weakness. And now she knew she had to do something about this. Not only for her people and father, but for the dragons this monster intimidated. “Fishlegs break it down!” She ordered.  
“Okay,” Fishlegs looked over the dragon. It was destroying a boat as it rampaged. He looked over the surface of the dragon and started to list off what he saw and how it attributed to it’s skills and abilities, “Heavily armored skull and tail made for bashing and crushing. Stay clear of both. Small eyes, relies on hearing and smell!”   
“Okay; ‘Lout, ‘Legs, hang in his blind spot. Make some noise keep it confused.” Hiccup ordered and they nodded. “Ruff, Tuff, find out if it has a shot limit. Make it mad.”   
“That’s my specialty,” Ruffnut smiled excitedly.   
“No way, everyone knows I’m more irritating, see!” Tuffnut said making noise as he flipped his Zippleback head upside down. His sister rolled her eyes. The Zippleback grumbled unhappily.   
“Just do what I told you!” Hiccup called and sighed, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”   
Asher waved as they went and sent them his patented glare to ensure they obeyed her. They banked down as the others flew to attack and keep the dragon busy. Snot lout led the flight towards the dragon. “Don’t worry, we got it covered!” He called, he felt awesome flying this high on a Nightmare about to fight a massive monster of a dragon. “Yeah! Woo!”  
Tuffnut and Ruffnut flew over the dragons back and up to where it’s eyes watched from one side of it’s face. “Troll!” He insulted.  
“Butt elf!” His sister insulted after him.  
“Bride of Grendal!” He called as they took off and Ruffnut laughed. The dragon shot a blast of fire at them and they avoided it. It shot again and the Zippleback slipped just out of the way. They really liked it, and the Zippleback rumbled in amusement.   
While the dragon was focused on the twins Fishlegs banged his hammer on the shiled strapped to his arm but was dismayed to learn that the dragon wasn’t responding. Instead all three of the eyes on his side of the dragon opened and focused on him. “Um, this thing doesn’t have a blind spot!” He called out.   
***  
Hiccup looked over the Nadders shoulder as they flew near the flaming boats. Asher steadied her as they flew. But right in the center of the boats, she saw a mass of black through the fire. “There!” She yelled as her chest tightened in both fear and elation at seeing Toothless. She brought the Nadder around and they flew towards the fire. She slid to the side and Asher took his hands off her to situate himself. She slid behind him and didn’t even freak out that they touched. Asher got the dragon to hover just over the boat and she jumped down.   
Just as she hit the ground she was blasted with the heat of the fire. She turned back to Asher’s concerned eyes. “Go help the others!” She called and turned to Toothless.   
Toothless had been sure he’d die without Hiccup. But seeing her now filled him with happiness and rage. He was elated to see her, he’d never missed anything more than her. But he was also enraged that she was here at all. If he got out he would have to fight the Red Death. There was nothing else for him to do to ensure her safety. Only he could protect her, but only she would wade into death to find him. It warmed his dragon heart. She crouched before him while Asher rode off on a Nadder. Huh, she’d gotten them to ride too, so like his human.   
“Okay, hold on, hold on,” Hiccup dropped to the deck and braced her feet on the massive contraption holding Toothless in place. She gripped the leather strap that was wrapped around his head. She pulled with all her weight and it slid off.   
Toothless flexed his jaw and narrowed his eyes on the heat that he watched Hiccup pick up a broken spearhead and try to prey open the little hatch that held the chains that were immobilizing him. But his head snapped up as the Red Death rumbled where Asher was going.   
Snotlout grinned as he saw the massive dragons eye’s start to blink and roll with disorientation. His dragon hovered as he continued making noise above his head. “It’s working!” he yelled to Fishlegs.   
“Yea-a-ah It’s workin!” Fishlegs echoed as he saw the same effect on his side of the dragon.   
Snotlout was thrown from his dragon and realized the noise had gotten to the Nightmare. He landed on the massive head of the dragon they were fighting. “Ah, oof, wah!” He shouted as he lost his shield and almost fell off the other side of the dragon. He looked up to see Fishlegs’ dragon spinning and losing its height. Crap he was on his own.  
“I’ve lost power on the Gronkle!” Fishlegs yelled as they began to drop to the ground. He flung his hammer to where Snotlout was standing on the dragon. They had to buy time for Hiccup! “Snotlout! Do something!” The fall from the sky was disorienting as they whirled over the pikes in the ground to the loose stones that made up the beach. They hit the ground and skidded. “I’m okay!” He shouted arms up. Then the Gronkle tipped into the ground and flipped over, belly up, burying him under the dragon, “Less okay!”   
He looked up to see the dragon looming over him and he scrabbled to get out from under the Gronkle.   
Snotlout stood over the dragons eyes and started hammering everywhere. “I can't miss!” he shouted in excitement as he started hitting the dragon in its blue eyes. “What’s wrong buddy? Got something in your eye?” He asked haughtily as he assaulted the dragon. It reared its head up and roared. When it’s foot hit the ground it missed Fishlegs by a few feet.   
Asher flew over the battlefield and took note of Snotlout dealing the damage to the massive dragon. This was really stalling, giving Hiccup time to get Toothless up. “Yeah!” He cheered at Snotlout, “You're the viking!”  
Snotlout gave him a look of awe and joy at the complement he’d never received from anyone before. Then he continued to assault the dragon. But it tilted it’s head sharply and threw him towards the back of the head. He dropped the hammer and grabbed onto the growth coming off it’s head. He looked over and saw the ground seem to rush up from where he was holding himself up.   
The Red Death twisted as it fought the pain in it’s eyes and swept it’s tail out obliterating what was left of the ships. Hiccup was fighting to free Toothless when the mast of another ship, burned to embers, fell on the place she’d been. She barely got out of it’s way but Toothless reared his head back at the heat, his green eyes wide and frantic. But the massive foot of the Red Death slammed down on the ship she was on. She hit the water, and looked down seeing the trap that held Toothless sink to the bay floor.   
Toothless growled out as water rushed into his gullet. First he faced the Red Death, then possibly being burned to death, now he was going to drown. He struggled to get free, he roared for what little good that did him. He saw Hiccup swimming towards him, her eyes were hard, determined. That struck him even more than anything else, after everything, she was still trying to free him despite the risk to herself. If he survived this, he would never leave her. Not only because he needed her to fly, but now…now he needed her to live.   
Hiccup struggled through the water to Toothless and saw his eyes wide with fear as he looked at her. She wasn’t going to give up! He needed her! She needed him! He was fighting just as hard as her, she settled her hand on him and grabbed the chain that was keeping him locked to the contraption. She pulled and yanked planting her feet right next to it and straining to free him. Then she ran out of air and felt her hands weaken, she looked up as her vision spotted with black.   
Toothless struggled harder as he saw Hiccup weaken next to him. Her hands fell from the chains and she floated just a bot away from him. She was right there! Why couldn’t he help her! No she was losing her air, she didn’t have lungs as large as him! Out of the dark water a hand grabbed her and shot off. Hiccup! He roared after her.  
Stoick fought the water and climbed up onto a stone island above the water. He settled Hiccup up there where she sputtered for air. He dove back into the water. He wasn’t stupid, he’d seen her, after getting the dragons attention she’d led the other children her age to distract it further. She’d saved them all, then went after her dragon. He’d underestimated her conviction. And as he swam below the water surface back to where the Night Fury remained trapped he saw it on it’s last bit of strength. It was weak. But the moment he neared it, green eyes widened, then narrowed threateningly at him. Even now he wasn’t happy to see him, but how much of that was because he was a viking, and how much of it was because of Hiccup?  
Toothless stared at the big viking he knew as Hiccup’s father. They stared for a few moments, sizing each other up. Then he swam forward and gripped the wooden piece of collar that kept him in place. With a strong heave he ripped it open. The metal brace broke and toothless was free. He looked at the man once more before he snarled and shot into the water, up towards the surface, for the air. But more importantly, he swam up for Hiccup. He decided it wasn’t important that he grabbed her father and dragged him up with him. In fact he let out a grumble of annoyance as he set the man down and landed on the rocky island. He saw the Red Death and his fury mounted. They needed to stop it here, it would go off now that it’s nest was discovered. It might hurt other dragons, it might go to where the other dragons nested. He looked to Hiccup and let out a shrill growl. With her they could do it.   
Hiccup stared in awe as she saw Toothless alive, well. She was so happy she got to her feet seeing his determined eyes as he looked at her and motioned with his head to the massive dragon. “You got it bud,” She said and started forward. She climbed onto his back with ease. She never felt more right.   
Stoick saw Hiccup’s back, covered with leather padding as she settled herself on the Night Fury. She was every bit a viking in this moment. He felt he’d never really seen her until this moment. He scrambled forward and grabbed her hand as she strapped herself to the sadle on the black dragons back. “Hiccup!” She looked at him, “I’m sorry, for-for everything.”   
Hiccup stared at her father as he apologized to her, her heart beat wildly before she felt her face soften at him. “Yeah, me too,” She admitted.   
“You don’t have to go up there,” he said, but in his mind he was begging her not to. He’d asked her to be stronger, and now that she was, he wished she was the little girl that toddled towards him and was in awe of his strength years ago. Then she smirked and shrugged her shoulders in a way that showed him just how strong she had become. She was so radiant in her confidence, that she was just as viking as the rest of his people.   
“Were vikings,” She said proudly, just as he explained to the village when they were reluctant to do something, “It’s an occupational hazard.”   
He placed his other hand over hers and looked her in the eyes, “I’m proud to call you my daughter,” He said and let her go.   
Hiccup looked at her father as he let her go. Just like that she had everything she’d ever wanted from him. His praise, his pride, his love. “Thanks dad,” She said and turned to Toothless. She settled her palm on the saddle and he rolled his shoulders under her. With a great heaved of his wings they were up in the air. Powerfully climbing up into the sky. This was what she was meant to do. With Toothless she felt alive.


	11. Chapter 11

Asher looked back as he heard the tell tale sound of Toothless’ roar, “He’s up!” he yelled and twisted his Nadder around. The twins flanked him and he looked back to finish issuing Hiccups orders. This was the last thing they had to do. It was all up to Hiccup now. “Get Snotlout out of there!”

            “I’m on it!” Ruffnut answered.

            “I’m on it!” Tuffnut echoed. They started to bicker about just who was going to be getting Snotlout. They started threatening eachother as they approached where Snotlout was running towards them. He leapt into the air and landed at the junction wher their two dragons became one. “Hey now, I can't  believe that worked!” Tuffnut said incredulously.

            Asher flew between the twins and the dragon, just to be sure they got away. But the Red Death opened it’s maw and sucked in air. His eyes widened in sudden fear as the air began to pull him and the Nadder in. He felt the dragon under him shudder in fear as it flapped it’s wings furiously. His legs flew back and he was holding onto the rope with both hands. But it was the scream of the Night Fury in a speed he hadn’t seen outside of the raids that sent the Vikings below into a panic, and Asher into a relaxed state.

            “Night Fury!” One viking yelled.

            “Get down!” They used their shields to protect themselves.

            Hiccup saw Asher hanging by the rope that attatched him to the Nadder. Her eyes narrowed as she huddled as close to Toothless as possible and they closed in, the wail of the wind over his scales gave their enemy warning, but not enough of one. She flew in just under Asher’s dragon and signaled to Toothless. He shot a blast of fire right at the edge of the Red Death’s jaw. The explosion sent Asher flying from the Nadder that fled for safety.

            She swept low with Toothless then shot back into the sky. With a twist they flew towards where Asher was falling a scream crying from his mouth. The scream fell silent as they flew past and she sat up, “Did you get him?” Hiccup asked looking around.

            Toothless looked down to where he was holding onto Asher’s leg. They locked gazes and he saw the wicked smile on Asher’s face. He liked danger, cheeky human. He gave the human a cheeky smile of his own. No teeth , just like he had for Hiccup. They neared the ground and he flipped Asher up into his fore paws and as they got close to the ground Asher’s feet touched and he let go. Then they shot back up into the air. Now no one was in danger, no one was in the way. It was just them and the Red Death.

            That fall was the most exhilarating moment Asher had ever experienced. And being caught by Toothless’ back paw fro that matter, that was amazing. Now, safely on the beach with the rest of the vikings He looked up, he’d flown with Hiccup and Toothless. Angry flying, and calm flying were one thing. Now, now Hiccup and Toothless were going to fight. This was something she could only do with Toothless. So he watched them fly off to battle and his heart ached, “Go,” he breathed.

***

            Hiccup looked back as they made it into the sky, “That thing has wings,” She said to Toothless. They climbed up and she tilted back his muscles clenched, letting her know he was ready. “Okay, let’s see if it can use them!”

            Toothless rounded into a dive and she drew in close, the wind whipped over them in the screech that procedded his attack. They dove fast and hard, then right as they got close Toothless used the momentum to unleash a powerful blast of fire. He aimed it right at the collar of the huge dragon. It was a tease of a blast, a challenge. One he’d wanted to deliver for far too long. He’d never had the confidence. Not until now. He was pleased to note the attack had sent the dragon to the ground.

            Asher watched in awe as the blast felled the dragon. He felt rather than saw the other vikings flinch. That blast was ten times as intense as the ones the Night Fury had ever delivered to them. Toothless had never wanted to hurt them, just destroy things and protect the other dragons. This was the power of a Night Fury, and Hiccup had tamed him. The massive dragons bluish wings stretched out. A red tint covered the wings on top, and the edges were frayed, ragged, either from battle or age. Asher couldn’t tell but it could have been both.

            “You think that did it?” Hiccup asked Toothless as she turned back to look at the dragon. The fog stirred and the Red Death was in the air right behind them. She frowned, it was huge, bulky enough to gain this much air that fast, but bulk didn’t mean speed. Toothless looked up at her curious about what to do. “Well, he can fly!”

            Fly? Toothless bared his teeth, he’d never actually seen the Red Death fly. He was the best, and with Hiccup he was even better. He dove and they moved into the crags. Using their exert skill to try and trip the behemoth up. Problem was, now it didn’t have to fly in a better pattern to avoid the crags. It just smashed through them.

            Stoick watched as he saw Hiccup’s flying skill. He’d never believed she could be this amazing. The vikings were in aw behind him. But the young teens behind him cheered for her. It seemed she’d finally made some friends. Then he saw the massive Red Death flying after her with no restraint. If she could survive this, she would be a hero.

            Hiccup frowned as their plan failed them, she could only hope that managed to weaken it a little more. She leaned back and Toothless responded by shooting into the sky. His wings pumped and took them up into the sky. She saw the dark clouds, “Okay Toothless,” She said to him and he looked up, “Time to disappear! Come on bud!”

            She twisted to get Toothless to fly lazily, to entice the dragon below. It worked, it’s massive maw opened and she saw the green haze that would feed the flames. “Here it comes!” She yelled. And the blast was enough to send smoke into the clouds. She only hoped there was a cap on how many blasts it had. She urged Toothless to climb higher, they needed darkness. It was there, they were better. The dragon thought it had them, but she twisted and the and Toothless were safe, in the dark clouds, they could see the dragon but judging by how it swung it’s head about, it didn’t see them. Perfect. She patted Toothless and they circled it.

            It was silent on the beach, Asher looked around frantically for any sign of Hiccup and Toothless. It was too quiet, he watched fearfully. Hoping they were okay. He noticed Stoick was staring fixatedly on the sky. He was just as worried.

            Hiccup urged Toothless with her hands and they picked up speed, they needed the momentum. She aimed for the Red Deaths left wing and with the strike they but a hole in it. But vanished just as fast back into the dark misty clouds. Toothless watched as they reached the perfect height and twisted into a tight roll and they streaked towards the dragon. They let loosed another blast and retreated just to change course and do it again. Targeting those wings, if they could get that dragon to fall, it might just die.

            Stoick flinched as he looked up. Flashes of light, it looked like lightning, exploded the clouds to give off the Red Deaths sillouhett. They were attacking it, Hiccup was on the offensive!

            Hiccup knew their chance was up, the Red Death had lost it’s patience, and let loose a long powerful stream of fire and whipped it around itself, if it couldn’t see them it was going to try and burn them by throwing the fire in every direction. It surged towards them and she checked it “Watch out!” She yelled to Toothless as they tried to avoid it. She looked back seeing the artificial tail on fire. “Okay times up.” She said. She had one last idea, and with the tail burning, they only had one shot, “Let’s see if this works.”

            They got to the height of their climb and dove, as they did Toothless roared a taunt. “Come on, that the best you can do?!” Hiccup yelled at it.

The Red Death focused on them and snapped, they slipped past that and dove. Now that they had it’s attention. Hiccup hugged Toothless close as they dove and looked back seeing the Red Death took the bait. She clicked the tail and it barely reacted, “Stay with me bud, we’re good,” She said, Toothless’ eyes were wide. “Just a little bit longer.” 

He hoped they could make this, he felt his tail didn’t want to respond, and he didn’t know if they could pull off her idea. He felt the heat, it it was on fire, there wasn’t much he could do to help. But her urgings kept him going.

Hiccup waited, she waited and listened. She felt the air still around them and closed her eyes, “Hold Toothless,” She said, he did, then she heard the inhale just behind them. “Now!” She yelled and Toothless rolled in the air as her movements asked. They flipped and with the Red Death’s mouth wide open, it was a perfect target. Toothless let loose a blast of fire and it set the green mist in it’s gullet ablaze.

Toothless struggled to right himself and the Red Death above shot it’s wings out but he fire raging inside was tearing it apart. Finally back in the right position he whipped his wings open and swept past the Red Death as it plunged towards it’s own demise. It hit the ground and exploded.

They fought their way though the mountainous growths on the back of the Red Death as fire climbed up towards them. But as she clicked the tail to give them that last push it didn’t respond. She looked back and saw the fin was gone and the metal pieces that held it together snapped off. She looked up to see the Red Death’s tail flying towards them, “No, No!” She yelled. It hit them and threw her off of Toothless.

Toothless twisted in the air as he saw Hiccup get knocked off of him. She was falling towards the fire, unconscious. He dove towards her. He wasn’t going to let her die! Not here, not ever! He sank into the fire to catch her. He needed to grasp her, and he only had one option. He snatched her leg in his jaws and twisted as he wrapped himself around her as best as he could. He crashed through the spines on the Red Death’s back. He landed and lost consciousness as he did.

***

            Stoick and the villagers watched as the fire raged until finally it went out. The island was covered in ash and smoke. Desperate to find some sign of his daughter he searched in the smoke. “Hiccup!” He called as he moved through the ash. He looked around frantically, he listened and turned in a circle, “Hiccup!” he yelled. There had to be an answer somewhere. She had to be okay. “Daughter!”

            He looked one way and jerked his vision back to what he had seen. There on a rocky out cropping lay the Night Fury. He gasped, “Hiccup.”

            Just the sight of it had him running, the exhaustion of the day, the fight, his fear was setting in. But seeing the Night Fury there, it gave him a little hope. But as he drew closer he saw she wasn’t on the saddle. The Night Fury let out a wheezing groan and turned on its side in its unconscious state. He looked down its black body and saw that the artificial tail that he’d seen was gone, the metal working that opened it and attached to the saddle was twisted and distorted by the battle and the raging inferno that had finally let up.

            Stoick fell to his knees, as it hit him. Hiccup was dead, his daughter was dead. No longer would they not see eye to eye on things. He wouldn’t hear her sarcastic quips, or see her clumsy attempts to do things. He would never see her beautiful face again. He’d failed. As a father, as a chief, he was an utter failure. “Oh, sweetheart,” he whispered. His head bowed down, “I did this.”

It was his fault.

            Asher shoved his way through the vikings as the smoke cleared and they found Stoick. But the sight that was laid before him wrenched his heart. There Stoick was on his knees, and in front of him was Toothless. They hadn’t made it! Asher’s eyes widened and he stared frozen, where was Hiccup? Had she burned to death? Was she crushed due to the fall? Tears filled his eyes and it hurt. A world without Hiccup and Toothless in it? She’d just shown him how to really live.

            The dragons lifted their heads above the group. Staring at the Night Fury that fought the Red Death. Was he dead? Had he not survived the battle? And what of the little human girl so unlike her own kind?

            Toothless stirred as the noise of the dragons filtered in through the sound of humans breathing around him. He groaned in pain, but blinked his eyes awake. Before him was the viking village that for so long hunted his kin. That had fought him and bound him, forcing him away from Hiccup. And there was her father, hunched as if in mortal pain. He was surprised to see the other dragons behind the villagers watching curiously. He looked back to the father and saw the raw agony in his eyes. The pain of a sire losing his offspring.

“Oh, daughter, I’m so sorry,” Stoick breathed. Toothless decided he forgave the man. After all, he loved Hiccup just as much as Toothless did. He heaved his weak wing up, to give his other wing room to fall away. He had felt her wrapped in his arms and legs, but he showed her to her father. He had protected her. “Hiccup!”

Stoick was in shock, but all he could see was his daughter, in one piece tucked up against the Night Fury’s under belly. He’d protected her. Stoick grabbed her up into his arms, he checked her face and smoothed her hair, before he yanked off his helmet and pressed his ear to her chest. She had to be alive! She had to be! The faint but strong steady beat of her heart tore a relieved laugh from him. His tears fell down his cheeks as he held her to him. “She’s alive,” Stoick looked up in his shock and tears of joy. “You brought her back alive,” he said to the dragon.

Toothless narrowed his gaze on Stoick. _Fool, of course I did._ Toothless thought. Humans were weird. To be baffled by his instinct was an extraordinary weirdness only humans could possess.

Asher’s legs gave out as he heard Stoick exclaim she was alive. Hiccup was alive! The villagers let out collective breaths of relief. They had been tense waiting to see if she’d survived. The joy that filled his chest had his eyes closed on his tears. Hiccup was alive! The vikings cheered, and Asher was startled to hear the sounds of the dragons they had ridden lean over the crowd and join in the merriment.

Stoick reached out a hand as he held Hiccup to him. He pressed it softly to the side of the Night Fury’s head. His eyes dilated in relaxation. His head fell back to the ground, he was exhausted from the fight. From the fall to protect Hiccup. Stoick looked into that dragons eyes and vowed to never kill another dragon so long as he lived. “Thank you,” he breathed to the Night Fury, “For saving my daughter.”

Gobber hobbled over behind him and in his own way ruined the moment. “Well, you know, most of her.”


	12. Chapter 12

The town was sullen when all the Vikings managed to make it back to Berk. Immediately upon returning Hiccup was sequestered in her home with Elder Gothi and the Vikings that were skilled in healing. Stoick was forced outside the house and Gobber remained with him. But the look on their Chief’s face had everyone as far away from the house as possible. Fishlegs leaned against one of the torch poles and watched the house with fear filled eyes.

            It had been an amazing fight. Hiccup had taught them all how to ride dragons. No wonder she was so amazing in the arena. She had tamed a Night Fury, the most enigmatic and dangerous dragon recorded. And then she’d defeated the Red Death. It was inconceivable. But so cool. Fishlegs had never really been able to use his information on dragons to help anyone before. But in that fight, he’d felt more useful than he’d ever felt before. And the moment he touched that male Gronckle’s head, their eyes had connected… he’d never felt more accepted than in that moment. Hiccup had given him that gift.

            When she woke up, he would be sure to return the favor, somehow. He felt a rough nudge to his side and he found himself looking at the Gronckle from before. His wide yellow eyes looked up at Fishlegs. “Oh, you don’t have to stay here, you’re free now.” Fishlegs patted the dragons head hesitantly. “No one will try to kill you again.”

            The dragon just nestled its head under Fishlegs’ arm. His eyes misted as he settled his palm on the dragons massive jaw. “Do you want to stay?” He asked, “With me?”

            Of course she wanted to stay with him. Was he stupid? She’d never felt more alive than she did around these foolish Vikings. And this one, this gentle one appealed to her. Gentle males were her type. And this gentle human seemed to like having her around. He was clumsy, she had watched him walk here. And his concern over the human girl, the Savior… it was touching. It drew her closer, and as she watched him she knew. She didn’t want him to be away from her. She wanted to be near him. He would be her human; after all, the Night Fury had one.

            “Well, you’ll need a name,” He grinned crookedly down at her. His bulky shape reminded her of her own body shape. And his hair was blond; he was rather cute for a hatchling human, “Well boy how about Meatlug for a name?”

            Boy? Well, not all humans could be expected to be as smart as the Night Fury’s. Meatlug, she liked it. She’d never had a name before. She was only called Monster, or Dragon, or Gronckle, nothing personal. The boy leaned down. “I’m Fishlegs Meatlug, let’s be friends.”

            She tried to mimic his smile, and was delighted when it only managed to make him smile wider. She could get used to this human. He jumped up to his feet. “Well, how about some food?”

            She could eat, Meatlug rumbled her agreement and waddled after him as he started walking. How nice it was to have a friend that didn’t want to eat her. She rather liked this Fishlegs.

***

            Ruffnut sat on the roof of her house, her back against her brothers while she looked out at the village to the right of their home. Man, the way that battle went was amazing, all the destruction and fire. Just how she liked it. But now Hiccup was locked up either dead or in immense pain. While she didn’t much care about the immense pain, it just wouldn’t be fun if the gangly girl didn’t wake up to bask in the aftermath of her destruction. Besides, she’d taught Ruffnut how to ride a Zippleback head. What wasn’t cool about that exotic dragon? Even if she shared it with Tuff. She sighed and leaned a little heavier on her brother. This just left a bad taste in her mouth, and she hated thinking. She’d rather be doing.

            Tuffnut didn’t comment on how heavily Ruff was leaning on him. He knew she wasn’t thrilled about how everything went after the fight. The battle was dangerous, a massive inferno, the recklessness of it all, that appealed to him. He could totally get in on doing that dangerous stuff more often. Man he’d felt exhilarated riding a Zippleback. He’d never felt more connected to a being other than his sister in his entire life. More understood. He wondered if Ruff thought the same. That dragon might as well have been them in dragon form. Two heads. He missed being able to do destructive stuff. Maybe they could go blow something up, get some noise going in this desolate town.

            They were in agreement. As they slithered up to the house the alike humans were perched atop they lifted their heads up on either side of them. The left head popped up in front of the girl and the right by the boy. “Hey,” The twin humans said at the same time.

            The girl reached out and touched his head, “You came back?” She asked but smirked in delight. “Wanna go destroy stuff together?”

            He did nothing more than grin at her, he liked her deviousness. Much like how they destroyed things on their own. He tuned in to his other side, curious to the bonding. Since they wanted to keep the humans. “We should totally go destroy stuff together,” The boy said. “Hey Ruffnut, let’s name this dragon.”

            “I’m naming my head Barf!” She chirped and flipped over onto his head. Barf? Odd name, but he did expel gas, so he would live with it. He never had a name before, and he liked this Ruffnut. She got him.

            “Aww, that’s a good one.” The boy looked at him. He waited expectantly, he wanted a name too it was only fair. One head couldn’t have one name and not the other. The balance would be off. And if it was off they got irritated. The boy grinned darkly at him and a thrill ran down his neck spine. He liked that grin; it spelled the doom they liked to spread. “I’ll name you Belch, I’m Tuffnut.”

            As the boy settled on his neck; their heads returned next to each other. They were in agreement, they liked these humans, as they reminded them of themselves. Their eyes met, Barf and Belch. That wasn’t all that bad.

***

            Snotlout sulked near the forest edge, he always made fun of Hiccup but hurt and possibly dying. That wasn’t okay. The feud that went on between them and their families was long standing. Despite the familial ties. But he’d never wished her dead. That’s what he’d thought. She’d always been the precious treasure of the village. To be kept from danger, and harm. Sure he didn’t like her, but that didn’t mean he hated her.

Ugh, it was all too confusing.

            He tried to think of better things while he sulked. The only remarkable thing besides himself had been him on that dragon. That Nightmare that let him on its back. He was still blown away by all that. He would have never done that if Hiccup hadn’t showed him how. He guessed he’d have to thank her for the thrill. Nah, that would mean admitting she was right. He froze as he felt a waft of hot air on his back.

            He looked back and saw the Monstrous Nightmare there behind him. He startled and fell to the ground. The Nightmare seemed to find that funny and rolled him over. Snotlout held out his hands as if to fend the dragon off and was surprised to find the dragons head settled in his hands again. He grinned at it. “You really like me huh?” Snotlout mused, “Not that I blame you.”

            He didn’t see any of the disdain many of the villagers gave him; the hostility some of his friends had; nor did he see the expectation and disappointment from his father in this dragons eyes. Just a calm look of expectation in its yellow eyes met Snotlout. What did it want? He’d never been looked at like that. It rumbled and settled on the ground, its long hooked claws sinking into the ground as it looked at him. “I’m gonna call you Hookfang,” Snotlout said and the Nightmare jerked its head up in happiness. He warbled and leapt forward nuzzling Snotlout’s stomach. He laughed as the dragon nuzzled him and sat back pleased with himself. “Alright, you're gonna stay with me. I’m Snotlout.”

***

            Asher walked though the woods, needing to stay moving. Otherwise he’d be on Hiccup’s doorstep trying to explain to her father just why he was there. Sure she was his friend but it was so much more now. She was the most beautiful woman in his eyes now. And he needed to do anything to ensure she was safe, protected, and encouraged to be herself. That scared him almost as much as dying did. His own emotions were running rampant and he never felt like this. He found himself at Raven Point. Where Hiccup had kept Toothless hidden, and here he’d kissed her cheek.

            His face flamed with embarrassment and he sank into a crouch hiding his face. That was really bold of him. He groaned in annoyance at himself. A soft warble got his attention and he looked back to see the Deadly Nadder behind him. Had she followed him here? She leaned forward and nudged him. With a stumble he got back to his feet and turned to her. “You don’t have to be here girl, go fly away. Be free.” He shooed.

            Be free? She knew freedom in that battle, and she was still free. She wanted to follow this boy who was close to the Red Deaths killer. She had saved them all from that dragons wrath. This boy had made her bleak life colorful again. She didn’t intend to leave.  

            She tilted her head to look at him, then she fluffed her wings and her tail flicked, the spines lifting and lying flat again. She turned and crouched down extending her wing to expose the place where he had sat while flying her. “You want me to ride you?” Asher asked and she tossed her head in anticipation.

            He watched her and in those eyes he saw intelligence. Was this what Hiccup had seen when she looked at Toothless. Inside that dragon was just the same as her. Asher looked into the Nadder’s eyes as he neared her and he knew, he knew he wanted to keep her. She nuzzled him and he slid his arms over her head to hug her. He knelt and she adjusted, her tail and wings surrounding him. This was what Hiccup had been trying to show him. That dragons weren’t the monsters they had thought them to be.

“I’m going to name you Stormfly, I’m Asher, by the way.” He said and got up sliding onto her back. With a heave she was up and her wings unfurling. She lifted up into the air and within moments they were flying through the sky. The wind whipped across his face and he shouted his elation to the sky.

***

            Stoick sat in his chair looking at Hiccup on her bed, which had been moved down to keep her comfortable. She was bruised and battered. But she was alive, and still sleeping. His eyes slipped over to where the black Night Fury, Toothless, lay with his head on the bed watching her just as intently. Stoick had left the dragon some cod before he sat but the dragon didn’t touch it. It had been hours since the healers left, and he was expecting Gobber before too long. But in this moment Stoick allowed himself to dish the blame, and self-hate onto his big stubborn head.

            It was his fault she was hurt, if he had listened, she wouldn’t have had to fight. Stoick stood and walked over, mindful of the wide eyes of Toothless. Ever vigilant of anything happening to his human, he was an observant thing. Stoick looked over the dragon and got his first good look at Toothless. He’d never been this close to a Night Fury before, and the one thing he was drawn in to was the missing half of his tailfin. The mechanical device that had helped him fly was made and used by Hiccup. “She really did take you out of the sky didn’t she?” Stoick mused.

            _“Best and worst moment of my life,”_ Toothless spoke in dragonese. He’d never really used it before, but decided to warble out his answer. Of course the human didn’t understand him but it was nice to put it into words instead of just thinking. Stoick seemed to nod, though he couldn’t understand what Toothless had said. That may have been the moment he was lost to the sky. But it was also the moment he met Hiccup. She was smart enough to take him down, then get him right back into the air. Without Hiccup, he was nothing.

            “I-,” Stoick started to speak to Toothless, express his gratitude to him. But a brisk knock on the door had Stoick lumbering over to let Gobber in. His best friend smiled crookedly and handed him a wrapped bundle.

            “This is to help her walk.” Gobber said and walked in. Stoick sucked in a breath as he looked at the contraption that would be his daughters new leg. He nodded his ascent and Gobber walked over to the bed to swiftly did what he came to do. Then he paused and looked Toothless over, “Ah, I see.”

            “What?” Stoick asked.

            “It’s the tail fin, that’s what all those drawings are.” Gobber said, “Well, that explains that.”

            Stoick moved to comment on his friends rambling when he heard shouts and roars that told him distinctly there were dragons outside. He moved to the door, he was sure with the Red Death no longer being around the dragons would move on, and not raid them. He was startled upon exiting the house to see the dragons not attacking the villagers, but settling on the rooftops and ground. There were flocks of them, and they were happily stealing fish and being as rowdy as the Vikings were. He saw the four dragons that helped save them fly into the village with teenagers on their backs.

Suddenly he knew how to make it up to Hiccup. She had been fighting to show him that dragons weren’t what they thought they were. For centuries they had fought the dragons never knowing anything more than the information necessary to hunt and kill them. “Gobber, it’s time things change,” Stoick said.

“What are you going to do?” Gobber asked as he looked wide eyed at the sight of the dragons flocking to their village. Stoick looked back at Toothless who was watching them curiously. Then he looked at his daughter, still out, her face scrunched in pain but softened by sleep.

“Something crazy,” Stoick said and smirked, “Look after her Toothless.”

 _“Of course,”_ Toothless warbled and rolled his huge eyes. Silly humans, he really couldn’t expect them to be as intelligent as his girl. He settled his head back down to watch her as the two vikings left. In her home he smelled her everywhere. But watching her in pain like this, he hated it. _“Wake up soon Hiccup. I miss you.”_ Toothless cooed and continued his silent watch.


	13. Chapter 13

Toothless hovered over Hiccup for days while she healed. The healers continued to give her herbs to help her heal, but she remained asleep. He never left her side, he had never really figured something could mean this much to him. Protecting his dragon kin was one thing, but Hiccup… she drew out a side of him he didn’t know he had. And as he watched her he got impatient for her to wake up.

            He was bonding with her father, the man brought him food. And after the first destructive moment with the devil eel, Toothless was assuming Stoick didn’t think he was as scary anymore. Now that just wouldn’t do, he would have to be sure to harass the old man at some point. But more pressing was how very long it was taking her to wake up. He wanted to see her eyes, watch her do strange human things that didn’t make much sense to him. Most of all, he wanted to hear her laughter as she flew with him. He inhaled near her face and watched it move just slightly in her sleep. He cooed deep in his throat and looked at her, _“Come on, wake up.”_ He spoke to her in dragonese. To his utter delight, her eyes started to open. He leapt to nudge her. She was awake! His Hiccup was back!

            Hiccup woke up slowly, the slowest she ever woke up. Her body hurt, but she just felt tired, bone weary. She blinked her eyes open in a small slit to assess where she was. Her heart leapt as she saw Toothless hovering near her. He looked happy as he leaned forward and nudged her face, “Hey Toothless,” She whispered. He nudged more insistently. Giving her a small lick. “I’m happy to see you too bud.”

            That was until he got further in her space and planted his foot in her stomach and ribs. “Ah!” She shouted in pain and sat up. She curled her arms around herself and looked up. Wait. She was at home. And Toothless was here. “Ah-I-I’m in my house.”

            She looked at Toothless as he practically danced in place with excitement, his tounge flicked out and he turned from the bed. “You're in my house,” She stated. He pranced around knocking the riging over the fire pit over and a few standing objects. “Does my dad know you're here?” She asked as he pranced over to the bed again, and invaded her space. “Uh, uh, what? Okay? Okay.”

            She held up her hands  and he whipped back around jumping onto one of the wooden beams that hung above. “Toothle-, no, no. Toothless, Toothless.” She chastised. He looked down from his perch at her curiously. “Oh, come on!” She huffed and moved to slide out of bed. And froze.

            Toothless stopped his play as he saw the look on Hiccup’s face. She wasn’t as ecstatic to be awake again. Then he knew. He dropped down and drew in close to her. His shame. She didn’t look angry, just confused and distraught. Sadness tinged her eyes. Then she accepted it.

            Hiccup knew she had to move forward. She couldn’t dwell on this. This was what it took to do what she had done. You couldn’t get out of a battle like that unscathed. She looked at Toothless, they were even more the same now. She slid out of bed, one foot touching the ground, her right one. Then she slid her left leg out of bed. Underneath her knee, mid shin, she’d lost her leg. Attached to it was a prosthetic limb. The cushioned wooden leg was tied to her with soft rope, but the limb itself was made of metal. Toothless leaned down and sniffed it before he looked up at her. She winced at his curious look. But the soft coo encouraged her. She sucked in a breath. She could do this. She could definitely do this.

            She grabbed the bed post and forced herself up onto her good leg. She took a step and inhaled, it wasn’t so bad. The pain was minimal. Another step made her weak, and she grunted as she fell forward her leg crumpling. Toothless slipped his head under her and caught her. Maybe she couldn’t do this. He lifted up and put her right back on her feet. She looked at him, grateful he had stayed with her. It seemed her bond with him went both ways. If he hadn’t given up on flying though she took his tailfin from him; then she couldn’t because she lost her leg fighting to save everyone. “Okay,” She whispered. “Thanks bud.”

            She hobbled forward using Toothless as a crutch and he didn’t seem to mind, only helped her to the door. She took small steps trying to get used to the feel of a fake limb. She took one hand off Toothless to get her balance, and as she got closer to the door she removed her hands all together. He watched her intently but she smiled at him. She grabbed the massive handle to the door and pulled it open. But outside she saw a massive dragon swoop by. “Whoa!” She yelled and slammed the door shut. She looked at Toothless and steeled herself, “Toothless, stay here.”

            She opened the door and blinked in shock as she saw Snotlout perched atop the Nightmare that was flying right next to her house. “C’mon guys get ready.” He called, and his dragon flew off a bit. “Here we go!”

            She stared in awe as she saw a few vikings awkwardly trying to fly dragons after him. Snotlout teaching? She looked around seeing huge carts of fish on the ground where the dragons were eating. Various breeds were perched on rooftops. No screams of death, no battle cries. She stared in awe to see them all here. And the vikings were mingling with them. “I knew it,” She said, “I’m dead.”

            She heard a chuckle as her father approached her and set a hand on her shoulder. He stood just behind her and patted her shoulder. “No,” He said softly, “But you gave it your best shot. So, what do you think?”  

            He walked her forward, his hand just behind her in case she tripped. She just continued to stare in awe at the village. “Hey look! It’s Hiccup!” A voice yelled from below. The dragons whirled as well as the vikings who were suddenly rushing up to her. She was more used to everyone running away or yelling at her. Not this excitement. They surrounded her and her father stepped back to look at her.

            “Turns out all we needed was a little of, this.” He gestured to her and she huffed out of habit.

            “You just gestured to all of me,” She said, but this time warmth spread in her at the words she usually spoke in annoyance. Tears started to fill her eyes but she forced them back. This was a happy moment. Her father just nodded at her, the pride and love there speared her heart.

            “Well now,” Gobber pushed his way through the group and pointed to her leg. “Most of you, that bit’s my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flare trown in. You think that’ll do?”

            She smiled good naturedly and looked down at it for the first real time. She shrugged. “I might make a few tweaks.” She said which earned her a chuckling laugh from everyone around her. She laughed too, this was so surreal. To be liked by the villagers for who she was, impossible. But a swift punch met the back of her arm and she turned to see Asher there. His face was flushed from probably running here.

“That’s for scaring me.” He huffed at her.

“Wha-what? What is it always going to be this way?” She huffed exhasperated. Man with his playful hits she was going to bruise. She wasn’t as tough as Ruffnut. Ruffnut liked pain. She may have lost a leg but come on, “Cause-,” Her tirade was cut short as Asher’s lips found hers. The oohs, and ah’s, of the villagers didn’t really phase her stunned stupid moment as Asher pulled back. “-I could get used to it.”

His smile was worth it, and she smiled back her cheeks didn’t even heat up. She looked over to see Gobber carrying a bundle that looked suspiciously like Toothless’ flight gear. She took it into her arms and looked at him in question. “Welcome home,” he said and that fatherly gleam that matched her fathers was there. She grinned at him in joy.

“Night Fury!” Someone shouted.

“Get down!”

Hiccup looked over to see everyone looking around frantically. But from behind Toothless leapt onto the vikings shoulders so he could peer at her. He managed to knock everyone over but he looked at her expectantly but he was playful. She laughed and Asher chuckled out loud next to her. She moved forward and with expert precision rigged Toothless up to his new gear. But as she settled on the saddle she noticed the maneuver gear was altered to fit her new leg. The prosthetic clipped to it. To enable her to use it. She flicked it a few times to make sure everything was in order and was pleasantly surprised not only by how smooth it was, but that their Berk symbol was painted on the bright red new tailfin.

Hiccup looked over and saw Asher perched atop the Nadder from the arena. “Her name is Stormfly.” He said proudly and rubbed her side. She moved restlessly, itching for a flight. She could feel Toothless was itching for one too.

“You ready?” Hiccup asked Toothless and he looked back at her confidently. He looked forward and she saw many Vikings were getting on dragons. She felt pride and unbridled joy bloom in her chest. It was like a dream, but this was so obviously reality.

_“This is Berk. It snows nine months of the year, and hails the other three.”_

With a powerful lunge Toothless shot into the sky and Hiccup felt the wind whip at her face. It was the best feeling in the world. As they got over the houses Asher shouted flew past her, she grinned and they twisted to surge after him. “Wooo!” 

_“Any food that grows here is tough, tasteless.”_

They flew out over the ramparts and Hiccup was pleased to see dragons everywhere, and for once it wasn’t in a raid. They ducked through a tunnel and out over the harbor. This was the most amazing feeling in the world.     

               “ _The people that grow here, are even more so”_  

             They dove down and Toothless let out his keening roar. “Yeah!” She yelled.

            _“The only upsides, are the pets.”_

Asher led the way across the walkways and Hiccup moved swiftly to keep up. They rounded the cliff. She grinned in excitement as she saw Fishlegs on the Gronkle she introduced him to in the arena. He joined them in their flight.

            _“While other places have ponies, or parrots…”_

They cut out over the fields up above the town Hiccup made it infront of Asher and saw the Twins on their Zippleback, and Snotlout still on the Nightmare. They joined rank and they flew up. She had never felt more accepted, more alive than in this moment. And it was all thanks to Toothless. They turned upwards flying fast towards the clouds. Toothless let out his howling roar and she shouted in response.

            _“We have, Dragons!”_


End file.
